Published: May 09, 2008 10:51 am         

Clark found guilty on weapons charge

Sentence to be discussed next week

DANVILLE — A onetime professional basketball player faces sentencing from a weapons charge in a two-year-old case.

Keon Clark, 33, received a bench trial almost a month ago on a Class A misdemeanor charge of possession of a firearm without a FOID card. T he case has been turned over to Judge Michael Clary to render a verdict.

Clary, in letter dated May 2 and filed with the case on Wednesday, found Clark guilty on the charge.

A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and fines. Clark is already serving 2 ½ years at Logan Correctional Center for a charge of driving after suspension from Champaign County.

In Clary’s letter to the attorneys, he said the testimony of two Vermilion County deputies was much more credible than the testimony presented by the defense.

Deputies told the court they were responding to a domestic dispute call at Clark’s home, 310 Poland Road, when they entered the residence and saw Clark holding a gun. He initially refused to put the gun down, eventually relenting to the deputy’s commands.

A felony charge was originally filed against Clark in the case. It was thrown out in favor of the misdemeanor on a motion by defense attorney Tom Mellen.

The April proceedings were the second half of the trial for Clark, who appeared in March for his trial. But the trial was continued because state prosecutors had not received evidence in the case.

A sentencing hearing on the charge will be discussed at Clark’s next court appearance, according to Clary’s verdict.

Clark is slated for court twice in the coming week, first on Wednesday morning for sentencing on a charge of possession of a firearm without FOID and possession of a controlled substance. The 2005 case was tried in his absence on Oct. 10.

His second appearance is a jury trial Thursday afternoon on a number of charges filed against him, including property damage and aggravated driving after suspension.