Illinois man gets more than 17 years for meth distribution

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A central Illinois man will serve 17 ˆ½ years in federal prison for drug trafficking and possession of firearms.

The U.S. attorney's office for the central district of Illinois announced Monday that U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough imposed the sentence on 45-year-old Shawn Lee of Carlinville.

Myerscough determined that Lee was responsible for distributing about 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of ice methamphetamine for up to two years before his March 2018 arrest.

Authorities say that ice is an extremely addictive form of meth. It's produced by distilling methamphetamine into a crystal which is smoked. It is produced in Mexico and elsewhere and smuggled into the U.S.

Five years of Shaw's sentence will be served for possession of firearms in connection with the distribution. They included an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.