Rockford Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Straw Purchasing Firearms

ROCKFORD - A Rockford man has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for straw purchasing ten firearms on behalf of individuals associated with a street gang.

From January 2023 to September 2024, CLESHON PHIPPS purchased ten firearms for two individuals associated with the 3-World street gang. In connection with the purchases, Phipps falsely represented himself as the buyer of the firearms, knowing that the sales would have been denied by the firearms dealers if he indicated that he was buying the guns for those individuals.

Phipps, 24, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of making false or fictitious written statements to a licensed firearm dealer. On Oct. 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Phipps to 14 months in federal prison.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

"Gun violence and illegal firearm possession are a huge problem in this community and defendant's conduct has repeatedly endangered the public," Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson argued in the government's sentencing memorandum.