UPDATE , December 30, 2011
The first of 11 people indicted in a major Adams County drug conspiracy is going to prison.
An Adams County judge sentenced 22 year-old Adrianne Tuttle to five years in prison after she pleaded guilty earlier this month to manufacture and delivery of cocaine.
More pleas and sentencings for the other ten people involved in the crack cocaine distribution ring are expected.
Investigators say the group was involved with a Chicago gang, and had been channeling large amounts of crack cocaine to Quincy for years.
</--Original Story, November 16--
A major cocaine ring that stretched from the streets of Quincy to the streets of Chicago has been busted up after a two year investigation by the QPD and the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force.
All eleven suspects have been taken into custody over the last two days and could face up to 60 years in prison, if found guilty.
Jon Barnard, Adams County States Attorney, made the announcement Wednesday.
He says seven of the 11 suspects are from Chicago and have ties to the Black P Stone street gang.
Indicted individuals include: Sylvester Purham, Howard Purham, Marvin Barnes, Tyree Malone, Angelo Riggs, Jeremiah Simpson and Andrew Bunch all of Chicago, Jerrica Jones, Shiya White, Adrianne Tuttle and Lasha Johnson all of Quincy.
He adds the conspiracy even involved inmates serving time in the Illinois prison system ... directing the operation from behind prison walls.
"We're not so naïve to think that we have wiped out drug trafficking in this part of the world," Barnard said. "But this is an important step and there is a bit of a message here. That is, if it is your plan to profit from the misery you inflict on others. Be warned. The penalties are severe. Behavior leads to consequence. Period."
There are 47 counts against the eleven suspects including; street gang and criminal drug activity, calculated and criminal drug conspiracy and multiple counts of delivery of a controlled substance.
Click here to read more from our news partner QuincyJournal.com.
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