By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News

(CHICAGO) — A convicted felon from Chicago has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegally brokering the sale of more than 75 guns.

John Thomas illegally brokered at least 23 transactions involving the total sale of 77 guns, including rifles, shotguns and handguns. Some of the guns had obliterated serial numbers or were previously reported stolen.  he case against Thomas arose out of a larger federal investigation that has removed more than 100 illegal guns from the streets of Chicago. The federal probe involved controlled firearm sales to cooperating individuals.

Thomas, 33, also known as “Batman,” pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of dealing firearms without a license.

Thomas admitted in a plea agreement that he either obtained the firearms himself and then sold them to individuals, or he arranged for the owner of the firearms to sell the guns in exchange for a fee to Thomas for setting up the transaction. Unbeknownst to Thomas, the individuals who purported to purchase the guns were cooperating with law enforcement.

Thomas was previously convicted of a felony and was not legally authorized to possess any firearms.

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