A judge has sentenced a Marion man to more than 8 years in federal prison after he admitted to trafficking firearms in southern Illinois.
The U.S. attorney's office reports 20-year-old Lonnie Petty pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of illegal transfer of a machine gun.
Law enforcement recovered two privately made firearms or “ghost guns”, one firearm with an obliterated serial number, five additional firearms, three machine gun conversion devices or “switches,” multiple extended and drum magazines, and a large amount ammunition.
According to court documents, Petty admitted to possessing a machine gun in Williamson County in June 2023. In addition, he transferred machine guns in Williamson and Franklin counties from September through November 2023.
