The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Joshwa Givens was sentenced to 57 months in prison for offenses relating to the sale of crack cocaine.
Givens, 28, of East St. Louis, had pled guilty in federal district court on Feb. 27, 2013, to three counts of Possession of Crack Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and to one count of Possession of Crack Cocaine. Givens has been confined in federal custody since his arraignment on Jan. 14, 2013.
At his change of plea hearing in February, Givens admitted possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute it in St. Clair County on August 7, 2011 and March 16, 2012, and in Madison County on Jan. 2, 2012. Police seized a total of 22 grams of crack cocaine (over 3/4 of an ounce) from Givens, along with $2,579 in cash. Givens admitted that the cash came from the sale of crack cocaine. Givens was on state probation for two separate crack cocaine felony convictions when he was arrested on the federal charges.
The investigation which resulted in Givens’ arrest and conviction was conducted by the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (MEGSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Fairview Heights Police Department, the Belleville Police Department, the Caseyville Police Department, and the Collinsville Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
