Springfield, Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Five Grams or More of Actual Methamphetamine

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois man, Michael Bale, 44, of the 4000 block of Sandhill Road, pleaded guilty on March 16, 2022, to distributing methamphetamine on two occasions and possessing with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine (actual). Sentencing for Bale has been scheduled for July 20, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois, before Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Mills.

In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins, Bale admitted that on both August 21, 2019, and September 20, 2019, he knowingly distributed methamphetamine and that on December 1, 2019, he possessed with the intent to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance.

Bale has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest, and he remains in custody pending sentencing.

Bale faces statutory penalties of up to life in prison, up to an $8,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.

The case investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Illinois Enforcement Group, the Springfield Police Department, and the Athens Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir is representing the government in the prosecution.