(MT. VERNON, IL) — A 25-year-old Mt. Vernon man was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to records, Mt. Vernon police responded in January to the 400 block of South 17th Street on a report of a person armed with a handgun. Officers located Trazell Sanders in the area. During the investigation officers also conducted a search of Sanders’ residence where they located two loaded firearms, methamphetamine, controlled substances, and handgun ammunition. Sanders was taken into custody and ultimately charged in Jefferson County Court with Class X felony armed habitual criminal, Class 2 felony felon in possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, Class 3 felony possession of less than 5 grams of meth, and Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to the Class 2 firearms charge in exchange for the other charges being dismissed. In addition to the 12-year prison sentence Sanders was ordered to pay court costs. He has remained in the Jefferson County Jail since his January arrest with bail set at $250,000.