Drug-related offenses carry strict penalties in Illinois. State laws provide guidelines about how the judge will handle possession, trafficking and related charges.
Before your court date, learn more about the potential legal consequences for a conviction.
Felony drug possession
Possession of certain drugs can result in long state prison terms in Illinois. The following Class 1 felony penalties apply to cocaine, methamphetamine, morphine, LSD and heroin:
- 15 to 100 grams: Four to 15 years in prison
- 100 to 400 grams: Six to 30 years in prison
- 400 to 900 grams: Eight to 40 years in prison
- More than 900 grams: 10 to 50 years in prison
For amphetamine, barbituric acid and amphetamine, the penalty for 200 or more grams includes four to 15 years in jail. The same sentence applies for 30 grams or more of PCP, ketamine, methaqualone and pentazocine. In addition to these sentences, the convicted person must pay a fine equaling the street value of the drugs or up to $200,000.
Associated offenses
Prescription drug forgery often occurs in association with opiate abuse. This felony conviction carries one to three years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine for the first offense, with penalties doubled for the second offense.
Possession of drug paraphernalia carries an additional fine of $750 to $2,500 and/or a year in jail in addition to other penalties. Manufacturing methamphetamine to sell to others carries up to 60 years in prison and fines of up to $400,000 or the drug’s street value.
The judge in your court district can double the prison sentence and fine for a drug crime that takes place within 1,500 feet of a movie theater, public park, church or school.
Double penalties also apply for drug arrests involving firearm possession. When the person uses a firearm to commit a drug-related offense, the judge can add between 15 to 25 years to the prison sentence. A firearm discharge resulting in injury or death may carry a life sentence.
