Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Drug Trafficking Associated with Street Gang

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A Springfield, Illinois, man, Christopher Wallace, 32, was sentenced on July 15, 2024, to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a wide-spread drug conspiracy involving a Springfield street gang, Boss Playas, which lasted from approximately May 2020 through November 2020.

At the sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough found Wallace was accountable for over 10 kilograms of cocaine as a member of the conspiracy. During the hearing, Judge Myerscough noted that the group of conspirators were responsible for distributing large amounts of controlled substances in the Springfield area, which had a negative effect on the community.

Wallace was indicted on December 15, 2020; arrested on September 8, 2022; and pleaded guilty on February 22, 2024. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest.

The statutory penalties for the most serious charge of conviction - conspiracy to distribute cocaine - include not more than twenty years' imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police; and Springfield Police Department Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Wallace was part of an investigation of the Springfield based Boss Playas street gang and was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.