Crackdown on Methamphetamine Dealers: James Ettleson Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

ROCKFORD, IL – In a significant crackdown on methamphetamine dealers, a Crystal Lake man has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for distributing the highly addictive substance.

James Ettleson, 39, pleaded guilty last year to one count of distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston during a hearing at the federal courthouse in Rockford on Monday.

According to court documents, Ettleson repeatedly ordered controlled substances to be delivered to him through the mail via the ‘dark web’ and then advertised to sell those controlled substances on Facebook. In April 2023, Ettleson arranged the order and sale of a package containing 113.2 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer.

The investigation and prosecution of Ettleson’s case were led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson represented the government in the case.

Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary Johnson, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, announced the sentence.

As part of his plea agreement, Ettleson admitted to distributing methamphetamine from 2022 to 2024. The sentence of 100 months in federal prison is a significant blow to Ettleson and a warning to others involved in methamphetamine distribution.

The sentence sends a strong message that the distribution of methamphetamine will not be tolerated in our community. We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the networks of those involved in this deadly trade.

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