CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man for allegedly illegally possessing cocaine and two semiautomatic handguns in the city last month.
An indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges SEAN DWYER, 51, with conspiracy, drug, and firearm offenses. The charges allege that Dwyer illegally possessed cocaine at two locations on the South Side of Chicago. Federal law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search on Aug. 17, 2022, and discovered cocaine and the two firearms, as well as more than $85,000 in cash. Dwyer was previously convicted of multiple felonies in state court and was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The federal charges against Dwyer carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. Dwyer pleaded not guilty today during his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole in Chicago. Dwyer is currently in federal custody and a detention hearing is set for Monday.
The indictment also charges BRIDGETT MASSEY, 35, of Chicago, with conspiracy and drug possession. Massey pleaded not guilty today during her arraignment before Judge Cole. She was ordered released from custody on a personal recognizance bond.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan DeMarco.
Holding alleged drug and firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of crime issues facing the district.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.