A Sacramento man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his role in coordinating over 200 shipments of high-purity methamphetamine to Chicago. Keith R. McCormick, 54, sent packages containing a pound of methamphetamine that was 90% to 100% pure from a shipping store in California to various locations in Chicago, including Lakeview and other neighborhoods. He took precautions such as wearing gloves, cleaning packages with Clorox wipes, vacuum-sealing the drugs, and double-boxing them to avoid detection.
Local co-conspirators in Chicago received the parcels and facilitated the distribution of the drugs on city streets. The conspiracy operated from at least February 2022 through early February 2023, with deliveries made to multiple locations in Chicago and suburban North Riverside. Authorities intercepted nine parcels, seizing over nine pounds of methamphetamine in total. In one instance, a package delivered to North Riverside was accidentally opened by a relative of the intended recipient, revealing nearly 450 grams of methamphetamine with a purity of approximately 97 percent.
Encrypted communications, including conversations on Signal and Telegram, were used by the conspirators to discuss shipments, payment details, and distributors. McCormick worked with Chicago-area men, including Stephen R. Jenkins, Daniel Heise, Donald W. Grenier Jr., and Jose Hernandez, to coordinate the distribution network and arrange for proceeds to be sent back to him via FedEx and UPS.
Jenkins, identified as a leader of the organization, was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Heise received a 12-year sentence. Grenier Jr. and Hernandez were each sentenced to four years in prison. A fifth alleged co-conspirator, William F. Koch, passed away in 2024, leading prosecutors to dismiss the charges against him.
The successful prosecution of McCormick and his accomplices highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and distribution in Chicago. The sentencing serves as a warning to those involved in illegal drug operations that they will be held accountable for their actions.
