Donovan James Cartwright-Nye, a 25-year-old resident of Moline, Illinois, was sentenced on May 20 to 96 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
The sentencing took place before United States District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley. According to the government, Cartwright-Nye traded drugs for a firearm with an obliterated serial number in December 2024 and fired several shots at another person in Rock Island the following day. He fled the scene by car but crashed several blocks away and was apprehended on foot shortly after.
At the time of this offense, Cartwright-Nye had two prior convictions in Illinois state court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and had been released from the Iowa Department of Corrections about five months earlier. The government said that “a significant sentence was needed to protect the public and deter Cartwright-Nye from committing further crimes.” Cartwright-Nye pleaded guilty to the federal charge in August 2025.
The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon include up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Rock Island Police Department; Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office; Illinois State Police; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney John Mehochko prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which brings together law enforcement agencies at all levels with communities they serve “to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.” The Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021 focusing on fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois serves forty-six counties across central Illinois as part of its mission within the U.S. Department of Justice. It prosecutes federal crimes such as this one while collaborating with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to advance public safety through partnerships and victim assistance efforts according to the official website.
