Quincy man facing multiple drug, weapons charges agrees to plea deal, receives seven-year prison sentence

QUINCY — A Quincy man facing five felonies involving drugs and weapons in connection with a June 2024 incident received seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Austin M. Schneider, 21, appeared with Public Defender John Citro on Thursday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court before Circuit Judge Holly Henze.

Schneider agreed to plead guilty to delivery of meth of less than five grams, a Class 2 felony punishable for between three and seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, a Class 3 felony punishable for between two and five years in prison. He must serve 50 percent of his sentence. He was given credit for 224 days served in the Adams County Jail.

As part of the plea negotiations, three charges were dismissed — armed violence, a Class X felony punishable for between six and 30 years in prison; unlawful condition of firearm ammunition by a felon, a Class 3 felony punishable for between five and 10 years in prison; and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony punishable for between five and 10 years in prison.

Also dismissed were:

• A Feb. 29, 2024 charge of possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony.
• Charges from January 2024 of criminal trespass to a residence and criminal damage to property, both misdemeanors to which he had been given 18 months of probation.
• A March 3, 2023, charge of mob action, a misdemeanor for which he had been given 18 months of probation. 
• A March 3, 2023, charge of possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony for which he had been given 24 months of probation.

Officers with the Quincy Police Department Special Investigations Unit obtained a search warrant on June 14 for a residence in the 600 block of North Eighth in Quincy. Officers with the Quincy Police Department Emergency Response Team executed the search warrant at the residence at about 2:20 a.m.

During the search of the residence, officers found a 9mm handgun, ammunition, United States currency, methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia.