Jury Convicts St. Anne Man For Heroin Trafficking and Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

Urbana, Ill. – A jury deliberated for approximately four hours this afternoon before convicting JB Brown, Jr., aka Cocoa, 37, of the 400 block of Circle Drive, St. Anne, Ill., of federal drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a felon, as announced by Jim Lewis, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.

During the trial, which began on Tuesday, Jul. 29, the government presented evidence to establish that in June 2013, Brown possessed more than 100 grams of heroin, which he intended to distribute, and a loaded Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol at a residence in the 7400 block of East First Street in St. Anne.

Following the jury’s return of the guilty verdicts, Brown, who had been released on bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Sentencing for Brown is scheduled for Dec.1, 2014.

The statutory penalty for possession of 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute is a minimum 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, and a fine of up to $8 million. The maximum statutory penalty for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon is 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
 
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kankakee Area Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, and the Kankakee County Major Crimes Task Force.