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 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.