Williamson County Man Sentenced On Methamphetamine Offenses

On November 20, 2017, Julian V. Rodriguez, 22, of Johnston City was sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine offenses, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Rodriguez, who had previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine, was sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment, four years of supervised release, and was fined $400.00. The offenses occurred between December 2016 and January 23, 2017, in Williamson County. Evidence at the plea and sentence hearings established that Rodriguez was involved with co-defendant Johnathan Long and others in the distribution of ice and marihuana. Ice is methamphetamine which has a purity level of at least 80%.

On January 22, 2017, Rodriguez sold ice to a confidential source that was working for law enforcement. When agents executed a search warrant at the Johnson City residence of Rodriguez and Long, they recovered multiple firearms, over 200 grams of ice, cannabis, and a large amount of U.S. currency. At sentencing, the judge found that Rodriguez was responsible for the distribution of 1.13 kilograms of ice and 224.90 kilograms of marihuana. Rodriguez received sentencing enhancements for possessing firearms and for maintaining a residence for the distribution of drugs. Co-defendant Long has pled guilty to his involvement in the methamphetamine and firearm offenses and is currently being held without bond pending a January 30, 2018, sentencing hearing.

The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Williamson County States Attorney’s Offices also assisted in the investigation.