Drug Unit
The Local Drug Prosecution Support Unit of the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor was created on May 1, 1988, with funding from a federal grant and Agency match monies. The State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Act, as amended, effective, January 1, 1988, charges the Agency with assisting the State's Attorneys with narcotics related prosecutions at their request. The Drug Unit fulfills this responsibility.
In FY18, the Local Drug Prosecution Support Unit consisted of two components:
District Drug Attorneys
- Ralph Fowler, Fourth/Fifth Districts
Priority County Component
Excluding counties receiving direct grant funding in FY18, the Agency contracted with counties having a high number of drug-related arrests to employ drug attorneys. These counties are:
- Champaign
- Jefferson
- Kankakee (July-September 2017)
- Macon
- Madison (July-September 2017)
- McLean
- Peoria
- Rock Island
- Sangamon
- Tazewell
- Winnebago (July-September 2017)
During FY18, the Local Drug Prosecution Support Unit assisted in initiating 2,982 criminal cases and received 1,786 criminal convictions. In addition 222 cases were nolleprossed/not guilty. There were 572 forfeiture auctions filed and 389 judgements. There was also $1,475,942.72 in assets seized and $671,047,98 recovered. We continued to see an increase of cases involving production, distribution, manufacturing, and importation of cocaine and cannabis. We are also experiencing massive increases in methamphetamine crimes. Heroin crimes are on the rise also in portions of the state. These include both MEG/Task Force and non-MEG/Task Force cases. Our MEG/Task Force cases are directly related to the activity and success of these units.
The current grant format of contractual and Agency drug attorneys has proven to be the most efficient and effective utilization of grant funds. It allows us to focus directly on counties needing full-time assistance and also to respond to other counties on an as-needed basis.