Grundy County man charged with possessing explosive devices

John Feeney, a 30-year-old Grundy County man, has been charged in a federal court in Chicago for possessing explosive devices and handguns illegally. According to the court documents, Feeney was allegedly involved in possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, possessing an explosive by a convicted felon, possessing an unregistered destructive device, and carrying explosives during the commission of a felony.

John R. Lausch, Jr., the US attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Kristen deTineo, the special agent-in-charge of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Chicago Field Division, announced the indictment against Feeney. Cornelius Vandenberg, an assistant US attorney, is representing the government in the case.

The indictment states that Feeney was allegedly involved in possessing two handguns and three explosives on January 25, 2020, in Morris. The court previously convicted Feeney of a felony. He was prohibited by the court from possessing firearms. The law enforcement officials have already taken him into custody.

According to the indictment, Feeney was allegedly possessing explosives including a 4-inch diameter cardboard aerial shell, a 2-inch diameter cardboard aerial shell, and another 2-inch diameter cardboard aerial shell with different specifications. The charge of possessing an explosive during the commission of a felony carries a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.

The public should keep in mind that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It is the responsibility of the government to prove a defendant guilty under a fair trial. The court will impose a reasonable sentence under the US Sentencing Guidelines if Feeney, of Minooka, will be convicted. He is currently facing four counts of different charges.