PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria man described by federal prosecutors as the leader of an extensive methamphetamine conspiracy will spend the next three decades in jail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Christopher Williams, Jr., 32, was given 360 months in prison after pleading guilty back in May to several methamphetamine-related charges, including Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess it.
Prosecutors say Williams — who was also known as “Black” — supplied the drugs responsible for at least three overdose deaths in Peoria and Tazewell Counties, carrying weapons, and used threats of violence to collect drug money.
Some of the meth Williams distributed allegedly contained fentanyl.
“One of our area’s most prolific drug dealers has been stopped due to the dedication and efforts not only of the Pekin Police Department but also our partnerships with all the agencies involved,” said Pekin Police Chief John Dossey, in a news release. “Williams inexcusably preyed on our vulnerable for his own personal gain. We are grateful for the solid work and team effort that resulted in a high-level dealer trafficking in dangerous and sometimes deadly drugs receiving a substantial prison sentence.”
Some of the counts Williams faced could have landed him in prison for life, while others carried maximum 40 year sentences.
