Three Decatur Men Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Crack Cocaine

Urbana, Ill. - On Friday, Kameron L. Farrington, 26, became the third Decatur, Ill., man in two weeks to be sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for trafficking crack cocaine as a repeat drug offender.  On Sept. 25, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce sentenced Farrington, of the 4700 block of North Martin Luther King Jr. St., to 130 months (10 years, 10 months) in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine in January 2012. Following release from prison, Farrington was ordered to remain on supervised release for a period of six years.  Farrington entered a plea of guilty to the offense on Apr. 24, 2015.

One week ago, on Sept. 21, Judge Bruce ordered Chonice L. Burtley, 34, of the 1000 block of North Pine, to serve 14 years in federal prison for possessing approximately an ounce of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it on July 25, 2014. Burtley was also ordered to remain on supervised release for six years following his release from prison. Burtley pled guilty to the charge on May 7, 2015.

Two weeks ago, on Sept. 14, Judge Bruce sentenced Wallace N. Pugh, 38, of the 1500 block of North College, to 17 years in federal prison for possessing over 2 ½ ounces of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it. Pugh was ordered to remain on supervised release for eight years following his release from prison. Pugh pled guilty on April 29, 2015, to possession with intent to distribute on Nov. 21, 2014.

Each of the men was classified as a Career Offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and was eligible for enhanced sentences, because each of them had at least two prior convictions for either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense.  According to court documents, each of the men has prior drug convictions in Macon County Circuit Court.

The three men have remained detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their respective arrests:  Farrington on July 8, 2014; Burtley on Nov. 5, 2014; and Pugh, arrested on Dec. 9, 2014.

The cases are the result of ongoing investigations related to drug and gun violence in the Decatur area by the Decatur Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at sentencing for each of the defendants.