Peoria Woman Sentenced to 144 Months in Prison for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois woman, Crystal Bennett, also known by the aliases, “Nancy Carpenter” and “Crystal Waynette Silsby”, 41, of the 1000 block of West Gift Avenue, was sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 144 months in the Bureau of Prisons for attempted possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government established that, on May 18, 2021, Bennett attempted to retrieve a package from a commercial shipping company store in East Peoria, Illinois. Bennett provided a store clerk with parcel tracking information and stated that the package was for her boyfriend. Based on suspicious behavior, law enforcement was called and determined that the package contained over 50 grams of methamphetamine with a substance purity of 98%. Bennett was arrested and officers located several drug ledgers during a search of her vehicle. In September 2021, Bennet was arrested again, when she was found in possession of over 250 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded gun that had previously been reported stolen, several grams of heroin, and over $2,400 cash. 

An indictment was filed against Bennett in October 2022, and she was arrested and arraigned on the indictment in January 2023. Bennett was released on bond conditions in May 2023, but bond was revoked one week later. A guilty plea was entered in September 2023. Bennett has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since May 2023.

The statutory penalties for attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine are 5 to 40 years imprisonment, followed by not less than 4 years of supervised release. A maximum fine of up to $5,000,000 is also possible.

The United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, East Peoria Police Department, Macomb Police Department, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna and Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.