Springfield Felon Sentenced to 70 months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A Springfield, Illinois, man, Kevin Gladney, 33, was sentenced on August 18, 2026, to 70 months imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements in court, in February 2022, Gladney possessed a stolen .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm, which included a shoulder brace, among other modifications; that firearm and a drum magazine were loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition. The firearm was recovered after Gladney threw it from the car he was driving as he fled from police before ultimately crashing his vehicle. Gladney's DNA was located on the firearm by forensic scientists with the Illinois State Police.

Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Gladney was eligible for an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement due to his flight from police during the traffic stop that led to his arrest. Judge Myerscough noted that Gladney's reckless driving and flight from police placed police officers and the public at risk.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Gladney in July 2023, and he was arrested in Texas in July 2024. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. He pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long in April 2026.

The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon are up to 15 years' imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The Springfield Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.