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Press Release

Chicago Man Pleads Guilty To Heroin Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Illinois

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Dominque A. Burwell, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty today to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin from September 2012 through October 2014 in Marion County (Count 1); and Distribution of Heroin on July 29, 2014, in Marion County (Count 7).

Count 1 carries a maximum penalty of not less than 5 years’ in prison, up to 40 years’ in prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. Count 7 carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ in prison, a $1 million fine, and not less than 3 years’ supervised release. Both counts require an assessment of $100.

According to court documents, Burwell agreed with his co-defendants, a cousin and a friend, to distribute heroin for profit in Centralia, Marion County, Illinois. Burwell and the others shared a cell phone which customers would contact to order heroin. Burwell often answered the shared cell phone, took the order, and then sent the others to complete the transaction with the customer at whatever location Burwell designated.

Information leading to the charges against Burwell was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.

Updated March 23, 2015