The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Ronald G. Murphy, age 53, formerly of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. Murphy had previously pled guilty on Feb. 3, 2015 to two federal charges: 1) Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine; and 2) Attempted Distribution of Heroin.
According to evidence introduced at Murphy’s change of plea hearing in February, Murphy worked as a drug courier between December 2013 and April, 2014. Murphy took cash from Belleville to Chicago, and brought heroin and cocaine back to Belleville for re-sale in the Metro East area.
Murphy was arrested by DEA agents at a bus station in St. Louis, Missouri on April 18, 2014. At the time of Murphy’s arrest, police seized 45 grams of heroin (slightly less than 2 ounces) which Murphy had intended to deliver to a drug dealer in Belleville. Murphy has been confined in federal custody since Oct. 17, 2014.
The investigation which resulted in Murphy’s arrest and conviction was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
