Illinois man sentenced for guns, coke and tax evasion forfeited $100K gun collection

A southern Illinois man will spend 37 months in a federal prison and pay nearly $1.3 million in fines and restitution for tax evasion and a gun charge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

David Ray, 55, of Fieldon, Illinois, was sentenced in a Illinois federal court on Dec. 19 for charges he pled guilty to in 2013. Ray also forfeited a gun collection valued between $75,000 to $100,000.

“In stealing from all of us by failing to pay his fair share of taxes, Ray not only ended up forfeiting his gun collection, but he forfeited his privilege to live in his mansion for the much harsher living conditions of federal prison,” said Stephen Wigginton, U.S. attorney in the southern district of Illinois, in a statement.

According to court documents, Ray concealed income from the Internal Revenue Service by using funds from his various businesses to pay personal expenses and by vesting ownership of personal assets to his businesses. In all, Ray avoided $1.2 million in federal income taxes.

Ray was also convicted for possessing firearms while being a cocaine user. Federal agents seized 96 guns, more than 2,500 rounds of ammo and 110 grams of cocaine from Ray’s home when they searched it in February 2012.

Ray, a gun collector and hunter, acknowledged to authorities that he had a serious coke habit, using 3 to 5 ounces every few weeks before his home was raided. An ounce of

Under federal law, drug users are categorically prohibited from possessing firearms.

Ray was ordered to remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending his transfer to federal prison.

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