Three Rockford-Area Residents Arrested on Drug and Conspiracy Charges

Handguns, Cash, Crack Cocaine and Heroin Seized

ROCKFORD — Three Rockford-area residents were arrested today by federal and local law enforcement officers on drug-trafficking charges.

ANTOWAN S. LAMBERT, also known as “Twan,” 42, of Rockton, and JESSE M. LEAVY, also known as “Lil Jesse” and “Lil Head,” 35, of Rockford, were arrested on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, or “crack,” and multiple counts of distribution of cocaine or crack.  An indictment returned last week in federal court charged both men with a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base from June through October 2019. In a separate but related case, SAMMY R. GORDON, JR., also known as “Sosa,” 31, of Rockford, was charged by federal criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl and heroin in Rockford.

Law enforcement today also executed court-authorized search warrants at multiple locations in Rockford.  During the searches, authorities recovered ten handguns, approximately $30,000, more than 100 grams of crack, approximately 90 grams of heroin, and more than 4.5 kilograms of marijuana.

The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Dan O’Shea, Rockford Police Chief; Gary Caruana, Winnebago County Sheriff; Brendan F. Kelly, Director of the Illinois State Police; and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the IRS–Criminal Investigation Division.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Talia Bucci and Vincenza Tomlinson.

Lambert, Leavy, and Gordon, Jr., appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa A. Jensen in federal court in Rockford.  They pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody pending detention hearings.  The detention hearings for Leavy and Gordon, Jr. are scheduled for Feb. 3, 2020, and for Lambert on Feb. 4, 2020.

The public is reminded that a complaint or an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count against Lambert and Leavy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The count against Gordon, Jr. carries a five-year mandatory minimum and a maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment.  If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.