ROCKFORD — Two Rockford men were arrested today on federal drug trafficking charges.
QUINCY L. ATMORE, 44, and MAURICE D. NEAL, 34, both of Rockford, are charged in an eight-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Rockford. Both men were charged with conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, in addition to charges of distributing heroin in Rockford from October 2015 through September 2016.
Atmore appeared today for arraignment in federal court in Rockford before U.S. Magistrate Judge Iain D. Johnston. He remains in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Oct. 24, 2016, at 3:30 p.m.
Neal will appear for arraignment on Oct. 20, 2016, at 9:30 a.m., before Judge Johnston.
The drug conspiracy charge carries a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence, a maximum potential penalty of up to life in federal prison, and a maximum fine of up to $10 million. Each count of distribution of heroin carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of up to $1 million.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The arrests were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Dennis Wichern, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Leo P. Schmitz, Director of the Illinois State Police. The case was investigated by the Rockford Resident Agency of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Chicago Field Office, and the Stateline Area Narcotics Team ("SLANT"), a task force led by the Illinois State Police. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, and the Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret J. Schneider.
