EAST ST. LOUIS — A 32-year-old Centralia man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Southern Illinois to charges stemming from an investigation into the 2014 theft of guns from Buchheit’s in Centralia.

Brandon Hoskins pleaded guilty Thursday to possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense. Hoskins faces a minimum of five years in prison.

Hoskins was investigated following the November 29, 2014 burglary of Buchheit’s of Centralia. In that burglary, 40 firearms and more than a thousand rounds of ammunition were stolen. Dakota Moss, also of Centralia, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for committing that burglary.

Court records established that two of the guns stolen during the Buchheit’s burglary were eventually transferred to Brandon Hoskins.

When agents went to Hoskins’ home on December 5, 2014 to search for the stolen firearms, they discovered a separate Glock pistol in his bedroom, along with an amount of heroin, a drug log book and drug packaging materials. Hoskins admitted that he kept the firearm as protection related to his drug dealing.

Hoskins will be sentenced on December 13.

Three other defendants charged in connection with the Buchheit’s burglary are scheduled for trial on November 28th.

The investigation was conducted by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives, the Centralia Police Department, along with Clinton County State’s Attorney’s Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft.