United States of America v. Deshawn Danzler

Chicago, Illinois criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with possession of a handgun with an extended magazine and a "switch” that converted the firearm into a fully automatic machinegun.



Less than six months after his discharge from prison on supervised release for a federal contempt conviction, Chicago Police Officers stopped Deshawn Danzler, age 28, while driving in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood of Chicago. Danzler, who had a handgun hidden in his crotch, attempted to flee and struggled with the officers for over two minutes before the officers recovered the firearm. Danzler pled guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in October 2022.



At the time of his sentencing, Danzler had four previous felonies, including the contempt of court conviction. In 2015, a rival gang member shot Danzler in the head, wrist, and thigh, and killed Danzler's neighbor. Danzler could identify the shooter but did not cooperate in the police investigation. Four years later, Danzler refused to testify about the shooting in a federal grand jury investigation and was convicted of criminal contempt of court in proceedings before U.S. District Court Judge Ronald A. Guzman.



A sentence of 62-months was imposed by U.S. District Court Thomas M. Durkin on February 24, 2023 for the firearms charge. On April 6, 2023 Danzler was back in court before Judge Guzman for sentencing on his supervised release violation. Judge Guzman sentenced Danzler to 37-months to run consecutive to the sentence given by Judge Durkin, for a total of eight years and three months of imprisonment.



The sentences are announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Eric Carter, Acting Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Mulaney and Albert Berry III.

Defendant was sentenced to 8 years in prison.