Jeremy Mitchell, 34, of Springfield, Illinois, received a 180-month prison sentence after being convicted of possessing a fentanyl-laced substance with the intent to distribute it. U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless presided over the sentencing and also ordered Mitchell to serve eight years of supervised release.
This case stemmed from Mitchell's indictment in May 2021 and his subsequent guilty plea in April 2023. Since his arrest in April 2021, he has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. Mitchell's criminal history includes multiple drug-related convictions and a prior conviction for aggravated battery with a firearm.
The legal consequences for possessing a substance containing fentanyl with intent to distribute are severe, encompassing the potential for life imprisonment, an $8,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Springfield Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, collaborated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in prosecuting this case.
Jeremy Mitchell's conviction aligns with Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive program aimed at reducing violent crime and firearm-related incidents. PSN emphasizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention initiatives, prioritizing strategic law enforcement actions, and measuring their outcomes.