Blake R. Gordon, 35, of Marion, Illinois, is headed to federal prison for 18 years after being caught cooking and selling high-grade crystal meth known as ‘ice.’ On January 24, 2017, Gordon was sentenced to 180 months for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, with prosecutors proving he moved approximately 170 grams of the drug—rated at least 80% purity—between August and December 15, 2015, in Williamson County.
The case didn’t end there. Gordon, already a documented career offender due to multiple prior felony drug convictions, was on supervised release from a 2006 federal conviction for manufacturing over 500 grams of meth when he committed the new offense. That prior case had tied him to a full-scale meth lab operation. Now, for violating the terms of his release, Gordon earned an additional 36 months behind bars—ordered to run consecutively to his 180-month sentence, bringing his total federal time to 216 months.
U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce confirmed the sentencing, emphasizing that Gordon’s actions showed a blatant disregard for federal law and community safety. At the January 24 hearing, the court handed down 10 years of supervised release post-incarceration and slapped Gordon with a $500 fine. The judge cited his repeated criminal behavior and role as a key distributor in the local drug network.
The bust was part of a wider crackdown by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Local law enforcement, including the Herrin Police Department, provided critical support in tracking Gordon’s movements and securing evidence that tied him to the meth trade.
He wasn’t the only one to fall. Co-defendant Shara L. Peyton, a/k/a ‘Shara Smothers,’ 39, also of Marion, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for her role in the conspiracy. Details of her involvement were not fully disclosed, but prosecutors said she facilitated transactions and helped distribute the drug during the active period of the operation.
Gordon’s case underscores the federal crackdown on repeat drug offenders, especially those who re-offend while under court supervision. For residents of southern Illinois, the message is clear: the pipeline for high-purity meth ends in prison—and for Blake R. Gordon, that prison term is nearly two decades long.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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