Illinois Man with 10 Prior Felonies Sentenced
July 7, 2019
An Illinois man with 10 prior felony convictions has been sentenced to 201 months in a federal prison for possession of heroin and cocaine with the intent to distribute, threatening a federal official and mailing threatening letters to federal officials. The sentence was announced in a June 5 press release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Court documents reveal that the man committed these crimes while under supervised release for a 2001 felony armed robbery conviction.
The man was charged with serious drug offenses in August 2018 when police arrived at his East St. Louis apartment to take him into custody for violating the conditions of his supervised release. When officers arrived, the man threw two large bags out of one of the apartment’s windows. The bags contained about 90 grams of crack cocaine and 200 grams of heroin. Police say that they discovered more drugs when the conducted a further search of the residence.
The man entered guilty pleas for the drug charges in December 2018 and was transferred to the Alton County Jail to await sentencing. While in custody, federal prosecutors say that he wrote letters to senior Federal Bureau of Prisons administrators in Kansas City and Washington, D.C. In the letters, the man threatened to kill a prison guard. He admitted to writing the letters in April.
Experienced criminal defense attorneys could understand how the prospect of spending years behind bars can lead to anger and resentment, but they may urge individuals in this situation to resist the urge to lash out at police or corrections officers. This kind of behavior will usually result in additional charges and prison time, and it could also make negotiating plea agreements and securing early release more difficult.
Source: The Belleville News-Democrat, “10-time felon from East St. Louis sentenced to another 18 years in prison”, Carolyn P Smith, June 5, 2019