A Quincy man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison for his role in a heroin trafficking operation in western Illinois. Derrick Phillips, 42, was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless on April 10, 2023.
According to court documents, Phillips was detained in October 2017 after getting off an Amtrak train from the Chicago area. Law enforcement discovered almost 200 grams of heroin and $730 in cash on his person.
Phillips was arrested in March 2019 and pleaded guilty in December 2022. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin were not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, not more than an $8,000,000 fine, and not less than eight years of supervised release. Phillips had a previous federal conviction for distributing controlled substances, which increased the severity of his sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; West Central Illinois Task Force; and Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Phillips is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities. The program focuses on fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting strategic enforcement priorities.
Phillips will serve 120 months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release. He will also pay a fine of $0 and serve his time in a federal correctional facility.
Related Federal Cases
- Arriba W. Lewis, Heroin Possession with Intent to Distribute, IL 2017 · Illinois
- Matthew Woodrome, Heroin Possession with Intent to Distribute, AR 2018 · Arkansas
- Devon Allen McConnell, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Illinois 2021 · Indiana
- Robert Lee Ford, Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribute, Illinois 2022 · Wisconsin
- Bobby Joe Amescua Gray, II, Meth Possession with Intent to Distribute, Arkansas 2022 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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