DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) - A drug dealer was sentenced to a decade in prison following an investigation dating back to 2019.Â
On July 23, 2019, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group (VMEG) executed a search warrant at a Danville residence owned by Delvin Willis. They found over 80 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl.Â
VMEG had used confidential informants before this search warrant was served to make narcotics purchases involving Willis. This happened between January and early July of 2019.Â
The sting operations involved the use of eavesdropping equipment, prosecutors said, after VMEG obtained approval for it from the Vermilion County State's Attorney's Office.Â
Willis was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday for a Class X felony count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. Prosecutors said day-to-day sentencing credit applies and Willis must serve three years of mandatory supervised release following his time behind bars.Â
State's Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked VMEG and Special Agent Scott Crawley, who testified Wednesday afternoon, for the group's "steadfast determination" to combat the prevalence of illegal drugs in Vermilion County.Â
"Simply put, when it comes to drug dealers, this office continually will insist on severe punishment for these reprehensible criminals," Lacy said.Â
