EAST ST. LOUIS — A 39-year-old East St. Louis man has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for heroin-related offenses in Southern Illinois.

Urechan D. Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute more than100 grams of heroin, plus concurrent 60 month sentences for Distribution of Heroin, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin. When released from prison, Brown will have to serve a term of 4 years on supervised release, as well.

Brown pleaded guilty to the three federal charges on June 3, 2016. At his change of plea hearing, Brown admitted that he and co-defendant Kelvin B. Hughes had distributed over 100 grams of heroin in East St. Louis between June 2014 and August 2015. On September 8, 2016, Brown’s nephew and co-defendant Kelvin Hughes was also sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.

Brown has been continuously confined in federal custody since his arrest in August 2015.

The investigation which resulted in Brown’s arrest and conviction was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Illinois State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (MEGSI); and by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department.