FAYETTE COUNTY — A 41-year-old California woman was sentenced Tuesday in Fayette County to 6-years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after she pleaded guilty to trafficking more than 5,000 grams of cannabis.

Michelle Vasquez
(Source: FCSO)

Michelle N. Vasquez was arrested in September 2017 on Interstate 70 when she was stopped by an Illinois State Trooper for a traffic violation.

After Vasquez gave ISP permission to search her truck Trooper Todd Ziegler reportedly discovered 240 pounds of cannabis with a street value estimated at $1.1 million. Her bail was set at $750,000.

Vasquez was charged with Class X felonies for trafficking more than 5,000 grams of cannabis and delivery of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, as well as Class 1 felony possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis.

In exchange for her guilty plea Tuesday to trafficking, the other charges, along with a traffic citation, were dismissed.

After completing her prison term, Vasquez will have to serve 3-years mandatory supervised release. She was given credit for 189 days served in the Fayette County Jail.