A methamphetamine deal in a Best Buy parking lot in Joliet resulted in the arrest of 36-year-old Illinois man. In March, the man allegedly attempted to sell 100 grams of meth to undercover Illinois State Police and federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
On July 14, the man pled guilty to possessing between 100 and 400 grams of meth with intent to distribute. In Illinois, this is a class X felony and punishable by a mandatory sentence of at least six years in prison. The maximum penalty for a class X felony is 30 years in prison.
A judge with the Grundy County Circuit Court accepted the man’s plea and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in July 2026.
This particular case involved a remarkable quantity of meth, and the severity of the man’s punishment reflects that. In less grandiose cases involving the possession of methamphetamine, the charges are still extremely serious.
The possession of any amount of methamphetamine in Illinois is a felony. The least serious felony charge in Illinois, a class 4 felony, is punishable by up to three years in a state penitentiary and a fine of up to $25,000. Fines and prison sentences may be enhanced if the arrest occurs near a school, a movie theater, a public park or if the offender is in possession of a firearm at the time of arrest.
Anyone facing drug charges in Illinois should be focused on his or her criminal defense and consult an attorney. After all, every defendant, no matter the crime, is innocent until proven guilty. A lawyer could look out for a client’s best interests and develop a defense strategy.