Urbana, Ill. – Chief U.S. District Judge Michael P. McCuskey yesterday sentenced a Rantoul, Illinois man, Howard Baker, 29, to serve 30 years in federal prison. A jury convicted Baker on Nov. 3, 2009, of possession of five grams or more of cocaine base “crack” with the intent to distribute. Baker, who has two prior felony convictions for delivery of a controlled substance, was sentenced as a career offender. Baker has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in July 2009.

On July 24, 2009, Baker was apprehended in the 200 block of East Hill Street by patrol officers with the Champaign Police Department. Following a foot chase, police recovered 25.2 grams of crack cocaine that Baker discarded while fleeing from police.

The investigation was conducted by the Champaign Police Department Patrol Division, with assistance from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office’s Street Crimes Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronda Holliman Coleman.