East St. Louis Woman Gets 30 Months for Heroin Run

EAST ST. LOUIS, IL – Ciera McNeal, 29, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 30 months for her role in a multi-state heroin distribution network. The sentence was handed down after a lengthy investigation and prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois.

U.S. Attorney Donald S. Boyce announced the sentencing today, detailing how McNeal, along with two co-defendants, were caught moving a substantial amount of the deadly drug. The trio traveled from Chicago to the St. Louis metropolitan area on June 18, 2015, carrying approximately 150 grams of heroin intended for street-level distribution. The operation, however, was short-lived, thanks to the combined efforts of federal and local law enforcement.

The case originated with a superseding indictment filed on December 16, 2015. Alfred Vernon Reeves, Jr., 41, of East St. Louis, and Lacy Snead, 52, of Chicago, were also named in the indictment. Reeves already faces a significant prison term, having pled guilty on May 6, 2016, to charges stemming from a 2013 heroin distribution incident and a larger conspiracy to distribute over a kilogram of heroin spanning three years. He’s looking at up to 20 years for the distribution charge and a minimum of 10 years to life for the conspiracy, with sentencing scheduled for October 14, 2016.

Snead, also implicated in the 2013 heroin deal, pled guilty on September 19, 2016, to both distribution of heroin and conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of the drug. His sentence could range from a minimum of 5 to 40 years in prison, and he’s expected to be sentenced in March of 2017. This case demonstrates the far-reaching consequences of heroin trafficking, with multiple individuals facing lengthy prison sentences.

The investigation was a joint effort by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in dismantling drug operations. Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft is leading the prosecution, ensuring that those responsible for flooding the streets with heroin are held accountable.

This conviction and sentencing serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against drug trafficking in the Southern District of Illinois. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the efforts of law enforcement to combat the scourge of heroin and other illicit drugs in our communities. The streets of East St. Louis – and beyond – are a little safer with McNeal, Reeves, and Snead behind bars.

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