A federal judge has sentenced two Galesburg men to decades in prison for their roles in a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking operation that brought large quantities of drugs from Texas to west central Illinois.
Juan Pablo “Chewy” Garcia, 30, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Edgar “Lil Man” Calderon, 34, was sentenced to 27.5 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
The sentences follow a jury trial earlier this year. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois, prosecutors presented evidence that Garcia and Calderon conspired with each other and others from the spring through fall of 2024 to obtain methamphetamine and cocaine in Texas and transport the drugs to Galesburg for distribution.
Authorities conducted multiple controlled drug purchases from Garcia and one controlled purchase from Calderon during the investigation.
Prosecutors also presented evidence from a traffic stop in Nacogdoches County, Texas, where investigators seized about 9.8 kilograms of methamphetamine and 3 kilograms of cocaine connected to the conspiracy.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow found both men tampered with witnesses and that they possessed firearms during the conspiracy. The court also found that Garcia created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury when he fled from officers attempting to arrest him.
Darrow described the case as a large-scale drug trafficking enterprise that brought significant quantities of narcotics into a relatively small community.
A federal grand jury indicted Garcia and Calderon in January 2025 on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as distribution of methamphetamine. Both men have remained in federal custody since their arrests.
A third Galesburg man, Robert Joseph Strong, pleaded guilty before trial. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office, FBI Springfield Field Office, Galesburg Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration participated in the investigation.
