Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Rohan Heron, 37, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was convicted on two counts of a federal indictment following a three-day jury trial, which concluded on July 21, 2011, in United States District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Heron was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Heron, who was operating a semi-tractor trailer, was caught in Caseyville, Illinois, transporting approximately 1,300 pounds of marijuana and 28 kilograms of cocaine, with a total street value of between $4 and $5 million. The cocaine and marijuana were being transported from Phoenix, Arizona, and were destined for East St. Louis, Illinois, and Cleveland, Ohio. Sentencing is scheduled for October 26, 2011. Heron is facing federal prison sentences ranging between 5 and 40 years on the marijuana count, and between 10 years to life imprisonment on the cocaine count, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Caseyville, Illinois, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Simonson.

 

 

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