A 78-year-old Champaign County man who had 257 weapons seized by federal law enforcement officials may get probation after pleading guilty to a charge of dealing in firearms without a license.
But William Coe, who lives east of Conover near the Miami-Champaign county line, wasn't sentenced Tuesday because U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice admonished Coe's defense attorney for not presenting evidence as to why Coe should not go to prison. Instead, Rice refused to accept both the prosecution's and defense's recommendation for probation and a fine and re-scheduled sentencing for Aug. 26.
Rice ordered defense attorney James Skogstrom to present a sentencing memorandum and document medical conditions for Coe and his wheel-chair-bound wife. Rice said he wants the information as mitigating factors as to why the judge should deviate from sentencing guidelines. The maximum sentence Rice could impose is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Court documents obtained by the newspaper show that from 2012 to July 2013, Coe "operated a storefront at his property and sold dozens of firearms to numerous individuals from throughout this state."
Coe, a retired plumber, had gun racks and cases in which he displayed hundreds of firearms for sale and even put price tags on many of them, court documents state. Coe "never performed federally-required background checks" on those purchasing weapons.
Coe is a lifelong outdoorsman and gun enthusiast, and that contributed to the "casual nature he treated the law in this regard," Skogstrom said, adding that Coe being unable to own firearms is a significant penalty.
Assistant United States attorney Brent Tabacchi said he agreed that it was not Coe's intention to market guns to convicted felons who otherwise couldn't legally purchase a gun, but that was a danger. "This is a serious offense," Tabacchi told Rice, adding that a fine is an appropriate penalty. "(But) this was not a black-market situation."
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