Chicago man receives 18-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two heroin delivery charges

QUINCY —Latwaon J. McCray, previously of Chicago, was sentenced Thursday in Adams County Circuit Court to 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by Circuit Judge Tad G. Brenner.

McCray, 45, pled guilty on April 10 to one count of unlawful delivery of more than one gram but less than 15 grams of a controlled substance (heroin) stemming from a controlled buy of illegal narcotics at 926 N. Fourth on April 8, 2024.  

He also pled guilty on April 10 to possessing with the intent to deliver more than one gram but less than 15 grams of a substance that was heroin, as well as possessing a firearm as a felon, as part of a traffic stop on May 13, 2024. Charges of being an armed habitual criminal and one count of unlawful possession with intent to deliver between 100 and 400 grams of a controlled substance, both Class X felonies, were dismissed as part of plea negotiations.

A car registered to McCray was stopped on May 13, 2024, on South 36^th in Quincy.  During the traffic stop, a search of the car was conducted. Heroin and a loaded 9 mm pistol were located.  McCray previously was convicted of manufacturing/delivering a controlled substance as well as armed robbery out of Cook County, leading to the unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon charge.

The sentences will be served at the rate of 50 percent under Illinois’ truth-in-sentencing laws. McCray also was given credit for 388 days served in the Adams County Jail. At the time of the 2024 offenses, McCray was on federal parole after his sentence to 12 ½ years for his conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin. He faces additional jail time because of his parole violation.

Adams County State’s Attorney Todd R. Eyler thanked the West Central Illinois Task Force for its work on this case and other recent drug arrests.

“This sentencing, and other recent sentencings, are invaluable to sending the message to individuals, especially those not from Adams County, that if you come to our community to sell illegal drugs, there will be dire consequences,” Eyler said in a press release. “An 18-year sentence sends that message.

“In just the last two months, the Adams County State’s Attorney Office has secured sentencings of 10, 10, 15, 17 and now 18 years, all for the delivery or distribution of illegal drugs. This is a far cry from the type of sentences we were seeing when I took over the office. Those results are indicative of the dedication that my office has in prosecuting criminals who flood our streets with illegal drugs and judges who are willing to hand down such a sentence.  If individuals are not hearing the message being sent, then they are going to regret not paying attention when they receive this type of sentence or higher.”