Rockford Man Sentenced To 17 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Heroin In Rockford

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ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Philip G. Reinhard on a federal drug trafficking charge.  QUINCY L. ATMORE (also known as “Q”), 46, of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  Atmore pleaded guilty to distributing heroin on Jan. 17, 2018.  In the written plea agreement, Atmore admitted that between October 2015 and September 2016, he operated a heroin trafficking business in the Rockford area, and maintained two cell phone lines as heroin hotlines for customers to order and purchase heroin.  Atmore typically sold user quantity amounts of heroin, such as a gram or one-half gram, but occasionally did larger transactions.  Atmore admitted he engaged in a large number of transactions each day, selling at least 10 to 15 grams of heroin a day resulting in sales of at least 4500 grams of heroin during the time period that he operated his heroin trafficking business.  Atmore also admitted that on Sept. 7, 2016, he possessed a firearm in a vehicle he was driving near a BP Station on Auburn Street and that he possessed the firearm for protection when conducting drug transactions.

MAURICE D. NEAL (also known as “Moe”), 35, of Rockford, is also charged with conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin, in addition to charges of distributing heroin in Rockford, Ill., from October 2015 through September 2016.  Neal is currently in federal custody pending trial.  The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  Neal is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  The drug conspiracy charge carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum potential penalty of up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10 million.  Each count of distribution of heroin carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1 million.  If Neal is convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Brian M. McKnight, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Leo P. Schmitz, Director of the Illinois State Police.  The case was investigated by the Rockford Resident Agency of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Chicago Field Office, and the Stateline Area Narcotics Team (“SLANT”), a task force led by the Illinois State Police.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, and the Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret J. Schneider.