Alton Man Sentenced For His Part In Cocaine Conspiracy And Firearm Charges

An Alton man, previously convicted by a jury in the Southern District of Illinois for Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises Near a School, Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Distribution of Cocaine Near a School, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on June 26, 2015, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Miles L. Musgraves, a/k/a, "Lou," 41, of Alton, Illinois received a 240 month sentence on the drug convictions, and a 120 month sentence on the firearm and ammunition offenses. Following release from imprisonment, Musgraves will serve a 6 year term of supervised release. Musgraves was also ordered to pay a $500 special assessment, and he forfeited his interest in the firearm and ammunition.

Evidence at trial showed that after Musgraves had been caught by police selling cocaine and in possession of ammunition, he agreed to work as a confidential informant. Instead of providing actual assistance, however, Musgraves planted cocaine and a gun in another man’s car and called police in an attempt to frame the other man. Police recovered the cocaine and the gun, and the other man was initially charged with felony offenses punishable by 6-30 years in prison. After the Alton police discovered what Musgraves had done, the charges against the other man were dropped, and Musgraves was charged with the offenses in federal court.

This case was investigated by the Alton Police Department with assistance from the Illinois State Police Crime Lab and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce.