EAST ST. LOUIS — A Madison man was sentenced in federal court Monday to 33 months on two firearms charges.
In a press release, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton said Monte D. Perry, 26, was sentenced for transfer of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Perry received 33 months’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently; two years’ supervised release on each count, also to run concurrently; fined $50 on each count, for a total fine of $100, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment. The defendant has been detained since his Sept. 26, 2014, arraignment on the indictment.
The charges arose from a controlled buy of a sawed-off shotgun from Monte Perry on July 7, 2014, that had been arranged by ATF agents using a confidential source for $350. The controlled buy was videotaped. During the buy, Perry is heard discussing the characteristics of the gun, clearly indicating that he knew that the shotgun had been sawed-off, and requesting additional money for the shotgun because it was a semi-automatic shotgun rather than a pump. After being paid for the shotgun, Perry wiped his prints from it before placing it in the backseat of the confidential source’s vehicle.
The barrel length of the shotgun was 14 inches. Because the barrel length of the shotgun was less than 18 inches, it should have been registered to Perry in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. A check of that database showed the weapon was not registered to Perry. Perry therefore violated the National Firearms Act when he transferred the unregistered firearm.
Perry was convicted in 2009 of a felony offense in Madison County.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Scott.