Chicago felon pleads guilty to lying to Illinois State Police on FOID card application

CHICAGO - A Chicago man has pleaded guilty to charges that he lied on his FOID card application submitted to Illinois State Police.

Christopher Johnson, 38, was sentenced to 24 months of probation and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful violation of the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act, which is a Class 2 felony.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul accused Johnson of knowingly entering false information on his FOID card application in 2021. Johnson claimed on the application that he’d never been convicted of a felony, despite having a felony record that spanned several years.

"As communities throughout Illinois endure gun violence, we must use every tool available to prevent guns from entering the hands of those who are prohibited from having them," Raoul said in a statement.

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According to Raoul, Johnson was convicted of damaging state property in 2013, two counts of identity theft in 2010, and two counts of identity theft in 2009.

"The Illinois State Police have a duty to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and we take that duty very seriously," ISP Director Brendan Kelly said in a statement.

Illinois law prohibits felons from having FOID cards.

"I am committed to holding accountable anyone who lies to obtain a FOID card and abuses otherwise legal paths to gun ownership," Raoul said.