United States of America v. Marcus “Slim” McKinney

Urbana, Illinois, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of fifty grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute, maintaining drug-involved premises, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering.

Marcus "Sim" McKinney, age 49, of Danville, Illinois, was released by the federal Burau of Prisons to 210 South State Street in Danville, Illinois, on April 6, 2023, on conditions of home confinement, including location monitoring with an ankle monitor. From that date until his arrest in Springfield, Illinois, on June 26, 2024, McKinney conspired with others to distribute crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, including exchanging the drugs with women for sex. The jury found that over the weekend of April 15, 2023, McKinney distributed an opioid to a woman who overdosed and would have died if not treated with Narcan, an opioid reversal agent, by the Danville Fire Department and paramedics with Arrow Ambulance. McKinney had falsely told the woman the substance only contained cocaine. The trial evidence showed that same weekend three other people overdosed on drugs provided by McKinney, including the fatal overdose of Christopher “RS” Fields. McKinney continued using 210 South State Street for the use and distribution of illegal drugs until he moved to 111 Kentucky Avenue in Danville later that summer.

The testimony established that McKinney used the premises at 111 Kentucky Avenue to continue his ongoing drug conspiracy, including using and distributing drugs from the residence. The jury found that on August 19, 2023, McKinney distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl – a mixture McKinney referred to as a “Hot Shot” – to Avelar, resulting in her death at 111 Kentucky Avenue. The next morning, McKinney and his brother, James “Brownski” Young, lied to the Danville Police Department about the circumstances surrounding Avelar’s death to attempt to avoid law enforcement learning about McKinney’s true involvement in the overdose.

In September of 2023, McKinney was required to go to a halfway house located in Springfield, Illinois. McKinney continued his drug distribution conspiracy in Springfield, including distributing over one pound of methamphetamine to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source on June 20, 2024. Six days later, DEA agents later seized over two pounds of methamphetamine and over five kilograms of cocaine from storage lockers in Springfield that McKinney had opened under the confidential source’s name. The jury further found that McKinney engaged in witness tampering in January of 2025 while his federal charges were pending, when he wrote a letter to a potential witness urging her to contact McKinney’s attorney and falsely say that other witnesses were lying about McKinney’s drug activities and were trying to get her to lie as well.

McKinney remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest on June 26, 2024. At sentencing, McKinney, who has two prior federal drug convictions, faces a statutory penalty of mandatory life imprisonment for his various convictions, including distributing the drugs that caused the death of Avelar.

The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; the Springfield Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugene L. Miller and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the United States at trial.

A jury found the Defendant guilty.