Rock Island man who spent 22 years in solitary confinement convicted of federal gun crime – Quad-City Times

A Rock Island man who spent 22 years in solitary confinement was convicted Thursday of felony gun crimes by a federal jury.

Anthony Gay was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon following three days of testimony, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 16 at the federal courthouse in Peoria. Gay faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release, according to the news release.

Gay was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Rock Island police officers for a traffic violation on May 31, 2020. Gay fled from the traffic stop but fell as he was being chased by police and was arrested. Officers recovered a loaded handgun that had been reported stolen where Gay fell, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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About two weeks later, Rock Island police were called to a motel where Gay had been renting a room. Prosecutors said motel staff discovered a bag of .45 ammunition while cleaning Gay's room and removing his belongings.

"The government also established that Gay had a number of prior felony convictions, including robbery, aggravated battery and possession of a weapon in prison," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Gay was released from prison in 2018 after serving 24 years in prison, 22 ofwhich were spent in solitary confinement in Illinois.

Gay was sent to prison in 1994 when he was 20 years old for violating probation on a robbery charge. He was driving a car without a license and was on parole for a robbery in which he stole a hat and a $1 bill. His original seven-year prison term was subsequently extended with additional sentences totaling 90 years for assaulting correctional officers, including throwing bodily fluids. A mistake in sentencing led to consecutive sentences for each of those 17 offenses committed between 1998 and 2001.

Gay filed a federal lawsuit against current and former Illinois Department of Corrections officials; Wexford Health Sources, which provides medical and mental health care to IDOC inmates; and several wardens and assistant wardens at specific prisons where Gay was held for psychological damage suffered during solitary confinement and abuse from prison guards.

While serving his original seven-year sentence, Gay alleges in court filings that he began to manifest a mental illness that caused him to act erratically. He was placed in solitary confinement following a fight with another inmate.

During his time in prison, he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. He was prescribed psychotropic drugs, but that did not stop him from self-harming, Gay told The (BloomingtonNormal) Pantagraph.

Gay said that rather than being treated for his mental illness, he was continuously punished for his actions by being placed in solitary confinement with little human interaction. He was typically not allowed outside his cell, even for meals, and was only sometimes let out for short periods to exercise, The Pantagraph reported.

Settlement offer reached with Rock Island

Also on Thursday, the city of Rock Island reached a tentative settlement offer with Gay in a lawsuit filed against the city and two Rock Island police officers for alleged misconduct over a May 2020 traffic stop.

According to court filings, Gay on Thursday accepted an "offer of judgment from the city and two officers for $22,500, plus attorneys fees and costs, according to court filings. An offer of judgment, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 68, is used to encourage settlements and protect parties willing to settle early in the litigation process.

Gay's attorney and an attorney for the Rock Island police officers named in the lawsuit did not immediately return messages seeking comment Friday morning.

In his complaint, Gay claims he was in a vehicle with family members stopped at an intersection on May 23, 2020, when they were shot at 13 times. Gay, in his handwritten complaint, said a cousin had been shot and killed earlier that day and two other cousins were injured in the shooting, and that he and three other cousins had left the hospital when the shooting occurred.

Gay said he was ordered at gunpoint by responding Rock Island police officer J.T. Key to put his hands in the air and get on his knees. He claims another officer, Scott Gable, "aggressive cuffed and forced" him to his knees after telling officers he could not kneel. While cuffed, Gay alleges Key "ran up and kneed" him in the face.

He also alleges police illegally searched him, threw his phone and illegally seized $1,500 in cash and a hotel key.

His suit claims Rock Island police violated his Fourth Amendment right, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Other counts alleged in the complaint include battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unlawful detainment, unlawful imprisonment and denial of equal protection.

Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms, who Gay alleges ignored and failed to report his claims of police misconduct, on Friday said he was unaware of the offer of judgment and could not comment.

Phone messages left with city administration and police officials were not immediately returned early Friday afternoon.

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Rock Island man who spent 22 years in solitary confinement convicted of federal gun crime - Quad-City Times