Peoria Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine, Heroin, Cocaine, and Firearm Offenses

PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Johnathan S. Sargent, 35, of the 800 block of West Crestwood Drive, was sentenced today to 132 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and possessing a firearm as a felon. Sargent was also ordered to serve a four-year term of supervised release upon completion of his term of confinement.

At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government summarized the evidence from the investigation of Sargent’s drug trafficking in late 2023 and early 2024.  In February 2024, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for Sargent’s person, his vehicle, and two residences.  At that time, Sargent was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his three prior felony convictions, including a prior state conviction in 2009 for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance for which he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.  During the search of his apartment on Crestwood Drive in Peoria on February 21, 2024, agents located a loaded handgun, 415 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, 87 grams of heroin, 77 grams of cocaine, and over $5,000 cash.  Agents also located packaging materials and several scales commonly used in illegal drug sales.

Also at the hearing, Judge Mihm found that Sargent’s conduct was not an isolated incident of drug distribution, but rather a business that Sargent was operating over a period of time. The Court stated that Sargent’s apartment was a “one stop shop” for three types of extremely dangerous and addictive drugs that have devastating effects on the community, often destroying the life of addicts and all of those around them.   

A criminal complaint was filed against Sargent in February 2024, followed by a four-count indictment in March 2024. He entered into a written plea agreement in June 2024, pleading guilty to all four counts. Sargent has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals service since his arrest.

The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Count 1) are ten years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, with a possible $10 million dollar fine. The penalties for possession with intent to distribute heroin (Count 2) and cocaine (Count 3) are not more than 20 years imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release and a possible $1 million dollar fine. The possession of a firearm by a prohibited person charge (Count 4) carries penalties of not more than 15 years imprisonment, supervised release of 3 years and a possible fine of $250,000. Sargent has previous felony convictions for theft and drug charges.

The case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Peoria Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration – Springfield Resident Office.  Ronald L. Hanna represented the United States in the prosecution.

The case against Sargent is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.