Chicago Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded Gun on Southwest Side

 CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded semi-automatic handgun in the city’s Chicago Lawn neighborhood.

LASHON NORFLEET, 43, illegally possessed the firearm in the 7100 block of South Albany Avenue on the evening of March 20, 2018.  Chicago Police officers pulled over Norfleet’s vehicle because it had inoperable brake lights.  Norfleet was unable to provide a valid driver’s license, and during further questioning the officers discovered the loaded gun in his waistband.

Norfleet had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including two firearm-related offenses, and was not legally allowed to possess the gun.

Norfleet pleaded guilty last year to the federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm.  U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah on Tuesday imposed a 54-month prison sentence.

The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalia Coleman.

Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Guardian and Project Safe Neighborhoods.  In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the Guardian and PSN programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.