PEORIA, Ill. – A local man has been sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine while awaiting self-surrender on a state conviction for drug possession.
Romel Michael Turner, 31, formerly of the 2500 block of West Wardcliffe Drive, Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced in federal court on March 25, 2025 to 151 months’ imprisonment for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual).
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm after evidence showed that Turner was sentenced in Peoria County Circuit Court on October 25, 2023 to 6 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He was to self-surrender on January 5, 2024. Turner was found to have distributed methamphetamine at least three times in December 2023. He pled guilty in August 2024 and has remained in the custody of the IDOC since his self-surrender for the county charges in January 2024. His projected parole on the county case is December 2026.
The judge also ordered that the 151-month term should be served consecutive to his current IDOC sentence.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are: not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment; a minimum of 5 years’ supervised release; and a fine of up to $10 million.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office, the Peoria Multi-Agency Enforcement Group, and the Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Defendant Information:
Defendant: Romel Michael Turner
Crime: Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual)
City and State: Peoria, Illinois
Crime Date: December 2023
Sentence: 151 months’ imprisonment
Fine: Up to $10 million
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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