Felon Sentenced to Federal Probation for Selling Cocaine and Firearms in Bloomington, Illinois

PEORIA, Ill. - An Indianapolis, Indiana, man, Melvin May, 44, formerly of Bloomington, Illinois, was sentenced on May 7, 2026, to five years' probation by United States District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley after pleading guilty to four counts of distribution of a controlled substance (cocaine) and two counts of possession of a firearm as a felon.

Between September 27, 2024, and October 25, 2024, May sold cocaine and/or firearms in Bloomington on five occasions. In total, he sold two firearms and 151.8 grams of cocaine. May, who had four prior felony convictions, was on probation in McLean County, Illinois, at the time he committed the federal offenses. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

May was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in January 2026.

The statutory penalties for distribution of a controlled substance (cocaine) are a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment per count, while the felon in possession charges carry a maximum of 15 years' imprisonment per count. Each charge requires the imposition of a minimum three-year term of supervised release.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.

This case 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.