Freeport Men Sentenced to Prison on Drug Trafficking Charges

ROCKFORD — Two Freeport men were sentenced today in federal court in Rockford on drug trafficking charges.

TERRANCE YOUNG, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer to seven and a half years in federal prison.  Young pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2019, to possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.  In a written plea agreement, Young admitted that on Aug. 30, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Young’s home.  During the search, officers located and seized approximately 5.5 grams of cocaine in a plastic bag inside a kitchen cupboard, as well as other drug paraphernalia.  Young acknowledged that the cocaine in the cupboard belonged to him and that he possessed it with the intent to distribute to others.  In a dining room adjacent to the kitchen, officers located $3,743 in cash.  Young also acknowledged that the cash belonged to him and that it came from the proceeds of drug sales.  Young further admitted that he sold cocaine on July 14, 2017, Aug. 15, 2017, Dec. 4, 2017, and Aug. 7, 2018.

In a separate but related case, KYRAN WILLIAMS, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard to nine years and three months in federal prison.  Williams pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2019, to possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.  In a written plea agreement, Williams admitted that on Aug. 30, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Williams’s home in Freeport.  Officers found and seized two guns, one with an extended magazine containing 31 rounds and the other with an obliterated serial number, as well as ammunition, a plastic baggie containing crack cocaine, and other drug paraphernalia.  Williams also admitted he illegally possessed the firearms as a convicted felon and that he possessed the guns and ammunition found during the search to protect his drug stash and himself during his drug trafficking activity.  Williams also admitted that he engaged in drug transactions and sold heroin on April 11, 2017, May 31, 2017, and April 11, 2018, and that he sold a substance containing both heroin and fentanyl on June 13, 2018.

The sentencings were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; Brendan F. Kelly, Director of the Illinois State Police; and Matt Summers, Freeport Police Chief.  The investigation was conducted by the Rockford Area Violent Gang Task Force, the Stateline Area Narcotics Team (“SLANT”), and the Freeport Police Department.  The Rockford Area Violent Gang Task Force is led by the FBI and includes members of the FBI and the Rockford, Loves Park, and Freeport police departments.  SLANT is a task force led by the Illinois State Police.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret J. Schneider.