CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge in Chicago has sentenced a 33-year-old nicknamed “Batman” to seven years in prison for illegally brokering the sale of 77 guns.
A Tuesday statement from the U.S. attorney’s office says John Thomas mediated the sale of shotguns, rifles and other guns in Chicago. He was arrested in a sting in which individuals cooperating with agents posed as buyers.
Prosecutors say Thomas’ aka was “Batman,” but they didn’t explain how he got the name.
Thomas pleaded guilty earlier to illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and dealing firearms without a license. Judge Andrea Wood imposed his sentence on Friday.
Federal prosecutors have faced enormous pressure in recent years to do more to help stem illegal gun sales as a way to reduce persistent violence in Chicago.
