Kankakee Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Attempting to Use Mail to Obtain Fentanyl

Urbana, Ill. - A Kankakee man, Javan Jamar Thompson, 35, of the 100 block of Taylor Avenue has been sentenced to ten years in prison for Attempted Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute, Attempted Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Controlled Substance Offense, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Thompson used the United States Mail in an attempt to obtain fentanyl and cocaine for distribution. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group (KAMEG) intercepted a parcel, destined for Thompson, that contained thousands of fentanyl laced pills and several hundred grams of cocaine. During his arrest, law enforcement located a handgun in Thompson's vehicle. As a felon, Thompson was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

At the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Thompson's drug crimes were made more severe by his possession of a firearm. Judge Bruce also noted that the amount of fentanyl Thompson attempted to possess via the mail triggered an enhanced penalty of at least ten years of imprisonment. It was ordered that Thompson forfeit his legal interests in a BMW X5, a Springfield Armory XDM handgun, and $18,745 in United States Currency.

Thompson pleaded guilty to all charges on June 20, 2024.

The statutory penalties for Attempted Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute are at least ten years of imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of up to life. The statutory penalties for Attempted Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine and a term of supervised release of up to life. The statutory penalties for Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Controlled Substance Offense are a term of imprisonment of up to four years, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to one year. The statutory penalties for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon are a ten-year term of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release.

"We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the community from the distribution of these deadly substances and will fully prosecute individuals attempting to utilize the U.S. mail in an illegal manner." said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. "We remain dedicated to protecting the safety and security of the U.S. mail service."

"Postal inspectors are committed to ensuring the U.S. Postal Service is not a mechanism to distribute deadly fentanyl and other illicit narcotics," stated Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. "The sentence handed down in this case serves as a reminder that postal inspectors, along with our law enforcement partners, remain steadfast in our resolve to combat the flow of illicit drugs impacting our communities."

"This was a collaborative effort between the United States Postal Inspection Service, KAMEG, and the United States Attorney's Office in continuance of our dedication to stop illicit narcotics from hitting the streets of our communities", said KAMEG Director Clayt Wolfe. "I commend everyone involved for staying persistent in their pursuit of those involved with the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit narcotics."

The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case in collaboration with KAMEG. Assistant United States Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution.

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