A Springfield, Illinois man has been sentenced to 180 months in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy linked to the local street gang Boss Playas. Derrick Bailey, aged 44, received the sentence from Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough on January 30, 2025. Following his prison term, Bailey will also undergo ten years of supervised release.
The sentencing stems from Bailey's participation in a drug conspiracy that operated from May 2020 to November 2020. During the hearing, he was held accountable for trafficking over ten kilograms of cocaine as part of the group. Judge Myerscough highlighted the negative impact that the distribution of large quantities of controlled substances had on the Springfield community.
Several co-defendants have already been sentenced in connection with this case: Denziel Witherspoon received 240 months; James Cooper, 180 months; Christopher Wallace and Isadore Montgomery each got 120 months; Rashaud Brown was sentenced to 84 months; Paul Davis received 40 months; and Taylor Cockrell was given a sentence of 36 months. Other defendants including Dorothy Jackson, Shelton Witherspoon, Lavar Maney, Haley Riley, and Haylee Vaughn have pleaded guilty and are awaiting their sentences.
Bailey was indicted on December 15, 2020, after being arrested earlier that month on December 1. He entered a guilty plea on September 18, 2024.
For his most serious charge of conviction, statutory penalties could have included up to life imprisonment, fines reaching $20 million, and a lifetime term of supervised release.
The investigation into Bailey and others involved multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Springfield Field Office, Illinois State Police, and Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir led the prosecution for the government.
This case forms part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at tackling high-level criminal organizations through coordinated efforts by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. More details about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.