Gun and Meth Charges Lead to 18-Year Sentence for Jersey County Man

Erickson Deck, 45, of Jerseyville, Illinois, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for 
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and federal firearm violations. Earlier this 
year, Deck pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment charging possession with intent to distribute 
methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in 
possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that, on January 28, 2018, Deck was found 
passed out in his car and blocking traffic in Alton, Illinois. Inside the car, investigators found 
methamphetamine for distribution, a digital scale, and a .357 revolver. At the time, Deck was 
prohibited from possessing a gun because of multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2009 
domestic battery conviction in Jersey County.

Deck’s sentence includes three years of supervised release and forfeiture of the gun.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the 
Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to 
be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together 
to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive 
solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most 
violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting 
reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Alton Police Department.