Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced on November 4 that William Spears, 68, of Rockford, Illinois, was sentenced on October 30 by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston to 15 years and eight months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine and illegally possessing a loaded firearm.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Spears was arrested in June 2024 following a four-month narcotics investigation. At the time of his arrest he possessed three and a half grams of cocaine that he had been planning to sell. Law enforcement then searched his residence and a rented storage unit and discovered approximately 700 grams of cocaine, $17,000 in cash, and a loaded handgun.
Spears pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person; as a previously convicted felon, he was barred from possessing firearms.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Rosati argued in the government's sentencing memorandum that the defendant's actions significantly contributed to the drug problem plaguing the Rockford community and that a significant sentence was necessary to protect the public. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 美国司法部总部大楼（联邦固定图库） / U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (federal fixed image library)
