Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Burglary from Bloomington Firearms Dealer

PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, DaJuan Edwards-Melton, 20, of the 2100 block of W. Antoinette Street, pleaded guilty today to burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of stolen firearms. Sentencing for Edwards-Melton has been scheduled for June 16, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Peoria.

In court today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley, Edwards-Melton admitted to burglarizing Smiley’s Sports Shop in Bloomington, Illinois, early in the morning on December 12, 2021. According to court documents, Edwards-Melton was assisted by two juvenile males who entered the store with him to commit the burglary, as well a juvenile female who acted as a getaway driver.

During the change-of-plea hearing, the government stated that Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives agents’ investigation led them to a yard just off an alley in the 2200 block of N. University Street. Agents were able to locate two Smiley’s Sport Shop gun tags. Further investigation led agents to Edwards-Melton, who was found to in possession of a 9mm pistol during a traffic stop in Peoria. The gun possessed by Edwards-Melton was identified as one of the twenty-five firearms stolen from Smiley’s Sports Shop.

Edwards-Melton remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service, pending sentencing.

Edwards-Melton faces statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and maximum three-year terms of supervised release for each count.

The case investigation was conducted by the Bloomington and Peoria Police Departments and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.