ILLINOIS MAN GETS LIFE SENTENCE FOR DRUGS

BENTON, Ill. - A Mount Vernon, Ill., man convicted in U.S. District Court
of dealing crack cocaine was sentenced to life in prison here Tuesday.
Earlier this year, a jury found Corey A. Williams guilty of three counts of
distributing crack cocaine, one count of conspiring to distribute crack and
one federal weapons charge.

"Sentencing a drug dealer to life in prison sends a strong message to all
prospective gang members around here - that law enforcement is serious
about shutting down drug traffickers," said Wayne County State's Attorney
Kevin Kakac.

Kakac says he works routinely with federal authorities in seeing that major
drug dealers get major prison time.

"We're willing to let the big boys (the federal government) take a crack at
those who really need to be prosecuted on a higher level," Kakac said. "It
really sets a tone for those bent on getting into the drug trade."

Testimony during Williams' trial revealed that starting in 1999 he and
others began traveling to Missouri to obtain crack cocaine, which he then
sold in Mount Vernon.

In July 1999, Mount Vernon city police found a loaded .45 caliber pistol
hidden in a vehicle belonging to Williams, resulting in the federal weapons
charge.

Also in July 1999, agents began purchasing crack from Williams in a series
of controlled drug sales. A number of drug customers and previously
convicted dealer-witnesses testified as government witnesses at Williams'
trial.

"If certain conditions are met - such as prior drug convictions and a
course of conduct that resulted in a large quantity of drugs being
delivered - the judge can have little discretion in fashioning a sentence,"
said David Williams, a Fairfield, Ill., attorney who is a federal criminal
defense lawyer.

"The judge will look at the defendant's offense level, then at his criminal
history. If the two are high enough, natural life in prison may be the only
sentence available."

Court documents revealed that Corey Williams has four felony convictions in
Illinois.

In 1996, Williams drew a two-year sentence for possession of a controlled
substance and another three years for possession of narcotics. In 1990,
Williams drew a 10-year sentence for armed violence and another four years
for residential burglary.

Under the harshest set of circumstances, a similar defendant prosecuted at
the state level could have been sentenced up to 60 years in prison.

Except for first-degree murder, Illinois inmates are eligible for day for
day credit for good behavior. In the case of Williams' federal life
sentence, there is no provision for good time credit. Natural life in
prison means just that.