A man from suburban Chicago has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, as well as illegally possessing a loaded handgun. William Fillyaw was found with the drugs and weapon on October 28, 2022, in Gurnee, Illinois. The firearm he possessed was an untraceable "ghost gun," assembled from a kit without a serial number.
Fillyaw, aged 47, admitted to intending to sell the drugs and acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his trafficking activities. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly delivered the sentence during a hearing held on Friday in Chicago's federal court.
The announcement of the sentencing came from Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, along with Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Milwaukee Field Office. Several law enforcement agencies contributed valuable assistance to this case.
"Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois," stated Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani in their sentencing memorandum. They highlighted concerns about ghost guns being used in crimes due to their difficulty to trace.
The prosecution of illegal firearm possession is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which focuses on tackling violent crime issues within the Northern District of Illinois through collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners.