A Chicago man was sentenced to 8 years in prison Wednesday for possessing a firearm as a felon – an offense his attorney said was a result of drug and alcohol abuse.

John D. Carew, 27, pleaded guilty to the 2025 felony offense as he appeared in court with his attorney, Ogle County Public Defender Kathleen Isley, in front of Ogle County Associate Circuit Judge Anthony Peska.

Isley told Peska that a plea agreement had been reached with the Ogle County State’s Attorney’s Office wherein Carew would be sentenced to 8 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in return for his guilty plea.

“He will receive 316 days credit for time served,” Isley told Peska. “He will serve this sentence at 50 percent with 12 months of mandatory supervised release upon his release.”

Isley asked that Carew be placed in a treatment program for drug and alcohol abuse.

Carew was arrested March 25, 2025, following a 9:40 p.m. traffic stop by the Illinois State Police on I-39 south of Lindenwood.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten said Carew was on mandatory supervised release for a Cook County charge when his vehicle was stopped and subsequently searched.

According to tickets issued by state police, Carew’s driver’s license expired in October 2022.

Leisten said Carew’s criminal history included felony weapons convictions in Stephenson and Cook counties as well as a possession of a stolen vehicle charge. Leisten said Carew had been sentenced to prison on some of those charges.

During the search of his Chrysler sedan, police also found less than 50 grams of oxycodone and a substance containing alprazolam. Those charges – including the driving with a revoked license charge – were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

When asked by Peska if he wanted to make a statement after pleading guilty, Carew asked why the drug charges had been dismissed.

“It’s the state’s right to dismiss them,” replied Peska. “Those charges are not being pursued.”

Peska said that the use of the illicit drugs appeared to be the nexus (link) to Carew’s behavior.

“Hopefully you will get some treatment so you can start with a clean plate when you get out,” Peska told Carew. “Do that, OK?”

Carew had been held in the Ogle County Jail since his arrest in March 2025.