Danville man gets 5 years for weapons possession

VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - A Danville man was sentenced to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

Bryce Ross pleaded guilty on June 9 to the class 2 felony.

The People presented evidence that on July 1, 2024, an officer with the Danville Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop for an Illinois Vehicle Code violation, activating the squad car’s emergency lights. The driver did not immediately stop and continued driving.

The officer saw the driver wave his hand out the window as though signaling for the officer to pass. The driver eventually stopped in a parking lot. The defendant, later identified as Bryce Ross, got out and started walking away despite the officer’s commands to return to the vehicle. He was subsequently taken into custody and handcuffed.

Ross then told officers that a gun was inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a loaded .45-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun containing six rounds in the magazine.

State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said, “This defendant chose to ignore the law, engaging in criminal behavior despite felony convictions. Offenders who illegally possess firearms pose a serious threat to public safety."