Christian County Sheriff's Office

CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) - A leader with the Christian County Sheriff's Office was recently recognized for efforts to fight drug crimes in the area. 

Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp issued a press release Friday in recognition of Master Sergeant Alan Bailey. Bailey, who is assigned to the Central Illinois Enforcement Group, was recently honored at the annual Illinois Metropolitan Enforcement Group (MEG) Directors and Task Force Commanders Association Awards Banquet in Peoria. 

When he was recognized, the Central Illinois Enforcement Group said Bailey's "hard work and investigative techniques" led to multiple narcotic purchases and seizures of ICE methamphetamine totaling 18 pounds, along with 6.5 kilos of cocaine, 776 grams of crack cocaine, 562 grams of fentanyl and 62 grams of heroin. Authorities seized four firearms and $160,000 in assets.

There were 18 suspects arrested on federal charges as a result. Four suspects were arrested on state charges. 

The total value of the narcotizes purchased and seized is about $1.4 million. 

“Sheriff Kettelkamp credits the cooperation with federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies along with the hard work done by all of the investigators assigned to this investigation as putting a big hurt on the major drug dealers, in central Illinois," a press release said. "Theses investigators spent countless hours away from home and their families in order to make central Illinois and Christian County a safer place to live." 

The Central Illinois Enforcement Group is a task force that includes officers from the Illinois State Police, sheriff's offices from Christian, Logan, Morgan and Sangamon counties, and the Jacksonville, Lincoln, Pana and Springfield police departments. People in the task force are involved in investigations from small level drug buys in rural communities to major drug conspiracy cases in seven central Illinois counties. 

The task force is also involved in investigations such as homicides, home invasions, robberies, burglaries and other crimes against people.Â