Peoria Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm

PEORIA, Ill., - A Peoria, Illinois, man, Quincy Jones, 36, was sentenced on November 4, 2026, to 42 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on each of two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon. The sentences on the two counts are to be served concurrently.

According to court documents and statements in court, on June 30, 2025, Jones sold a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver to an individual for $450.00. On October 9, 2025, Jones sold a Glock 43 pistol for $600.00 and a Taurus pistol for $800.00. The Glock pistol, which had been stolen in Pekin, Illinois, had six rounds of ammunition in the magazine. The Taurus had an extended magazine with 21 rounds in the magazine. Jones informed that individual that he planned to travel to Mississippi to bring back more rifles and pistols.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jones in March 2026. He pleaded guilty in August 2026 and has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in March 2026.

At the sentencing hearing, U.S. Senior District Judge Michael M. Mihm noted that Jones was very business-like and efficient in selling the firearms. In finding that this was a very serious situation, Judge Mihm observed, "How could they not have ended up in the wrong hands?" The judge noted Jones's criminal history, which included previous convictions for firearm and drug offenses, and said he hoped Jones would cease his criminal activity.

The statutory penalties for each count of felon in possession of a firearm are up to 15 years' imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government.

The case against Jones 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.