Peoria Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

PEORIA, Ill. - A Peoria man, Alton Blue, 38, was sentenced on May 12, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley to 36 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

In December 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents became aware of Blue's involvement in the distribution of illicit substances in the Central District of Illinois. Blue was identified as a supplier of methamphetamine and participated in multiple drug sales. In total, Blue was responsible for the distribution of at least 1,286.29 grams of methamphetamine.

Blue was arrested on a complaint in May 2025, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment against him in June 2025. He pleaded guilty to both counts in January 2026.

The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are not less than ten years and up to life imprisonment, not more than a $10 million dollar fine, and a minimum five-year to a maximum life term of supervised release. Blue was eligible for a lower sentence because he was sentenced pursuant to the "safety-valve" provision of 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f).

The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff's Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Blue is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.