EAST ST. LOUIS — An East St. Louis man with prior convictions, including second-degree murder, was sentenced yesterday to the maximum 15 years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm after a federal jury found him guilty in May 2026.
Anthony D. Bradley Jr., 37, was convicted of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Before trial, Bradley stipulated that he was a convicted felon and that he knew he was a convicted felon at the time of the offense conduct.
“This convicted murderer got out of state prison and carried a loaded gun, modified to function as a machine gun, through a public housing complex,” U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said. “We did not plead this case out. We tried it, the jury spoke, and he got the maximum sentence in federal prison. As he should.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that in October 2024, law enforcement officers observed Bradley possessing a firearm during a proactive crime suppression detail that included the John De Shields housing complex in East St. Louis. The firearm was loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition and had a machinegun conversion device installed.
At the time, Bradley was under federal supervised release for a prior firearms offense. He also had multiple prior state and federal charges involving illegal firearm possession, in addition to the state conviction for second-degree murder. Following trial, Bradley entered a stipulation and consent to forfeit the firearm to the United States. After his prison term, he will serve three years of supervised release.
“Because of the persistence of the Illinois State Police and our partners getting guns and dangerous criminals off the street, this convicted felon will spend years in a federal prison,” Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said. “Convicted felons who repeatedly break the law threaten public safety and the Illinois State Police will continue to dedicate resources to protect our communities.”
The Illinois State Police led the investigation with assistance from its Public Safety Enforcement Group and Firearms Investigation Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Arshi and Ali Burns prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from perpetrators of violent crime.
