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 FY08, the Local Drug Prosecution Support Unit consisted of two components:

 

District Drug Attorneys

 

A drug attorney was assigned to each of the four downstate Appellate Districts and served the counties in these districts upon the request of the State's Attorney. They assisted each other when their individual caseloads became too heavy to ensure that all State's Attorneys were served on an as-needed basis. They also worked closely with the appropriate Meg Unit or Task Force.

Full time staff attorneys for FY08 were:

 

  • Kim Roegge, Second District and Third District
  • Mick McAvoy, Fourth District
  • Ralph Fowler, Fifth District

 

Priority County Component

 

Excluding counties receiving direct grant funding, the Agency contracted with the eleven counties having a high number of drug-related arrests to employ drug attorneys. These counties are:

 

  • Champaign
  • Jefferson
  • Kankakee
  • Macon
  • Madison
  • McLean
  • Peoria
  • Rock Island
  • Sangamon
  • Tazewell
  • Winnebago

 

During FY08, the Local Drug Prosecution Support Unit assisted in closing 3,927 criminal cases and 1,427 civil cases. The closed cases resulted in the forfeiture of $1,782,654.04 in United States Currency and other assets valued at $507,653.25.

 

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. These include both MEG/Task Force and non-MEG/Task Force cases. Out 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 and on an as-needed basis.