Tony Clapp, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Illinois 2025

ROCKFORD — A Sterling, Ill., man has been sentenced to more than fifteen years in federal prison for attempting to traffic methamphetamine from California to Illinois.

In a shocking display of brazen crime, Tony Clapp, 62, pleaded guilty in 2025 to one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Clapp to 15 years and eight months in federal prison. This harsh sentence comes as a result of a plea agreement, in which Clapp admitted to arranging for the purchase and delivery of approximately three kilograms of pure methamphetamine from a source in California in February 2022.

This crime was committed while Clapp was serving a term of court-supervised release following a 2008 federal prison sentence for distribution of cocaine – a fact that the Court found to be an aggravating factor in sentencing Clapp.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Shane R. Catone, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.

Clapp's crimes have sent shockwaves through the community, and his sentence serves as a reminder of the harsh penalties for those who engage in such illicit activities.

With this sentence, Clapp will be behind bars for a significant amount of time, and his actions will have lasting consequences for his loved ones and the community at large.

As a result of this case, the public is reminded of the dangers of methamphetamine trafficking and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/man-sentenced-nearly-16-years-prison-attempting-traffic-methamphetamine