THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION PROVIDED BY U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
A 34-year-old Danville man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and multiple firearms charges. U. S. District Judge Colin Bruce sentenced James Phillips of the 900 block of North Hazel Street to 200 months imprisonment. Phillips had pleaded guilty earlier to charges of possession with intent to deliver 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm as a felon.
During the sentencing hearing in Urbana’s Federal Court, Judge Bruce told Phillips, ‘’You need to stop and figure out where your life is going.’’ The government presented evidence at the hearing that law enforcement officers discovered nearly 4.5 pounds of high purity methamphetamine, two handguns, and several thousand dollars in currency in a backpack belonging to Phillips after executing a traffic stop in Danville. At the time of the traffic stop Phillips was on mandatory supervised release in connection with a state conviction for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and he also had three prior controlled substance convictions.
The Danville Police Department and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office cooperated on the case as well.
