Prairie State Wire

A Bloomington man, Dandre Antwan Williams, 36, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and distributing cocaine. The sentencing took place on August 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria.

Court documents and statements during the hearing revealed that in April 2024, Williams possessed and sold two firearms—a Russian firearm and a Taurus .38 revolver loaded with four rounds of special ammunition—as well as 48.6 grams of cocaine. One of the firearms had a defaced serial number. Williams was legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to his felony status.

Williams was indicted in October 2024 and pleaded guilty in March 2025. He has been held by the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest last year.

The statutory penalties for felon in possession of a firearm include up to 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Distribution of cocaine carries potential penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment, six years’ supervised release, and fines up to $2 million.

The investigation was conducted by the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force. The task force includes agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz prosecuted the case.

According to officials: “The case against Williams is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.”