A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearm charges. Jovino Ramirez, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, as well as possessing a loaded handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Ramirez to 78 months in federal prison.
Ramirez admitted during a plea agreement that he was found with 19.1 grams of cocaine and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine following a traffic stop in May 2024. He attempted to conceal these substances during his encounter with police and also had a loaded handgun beneath the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Ramirez confessed that he intended to sell the cocaine.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, along with Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Rosati and Lisa R. Munch represented the government.
Federal prosecution against illegal firearm possession is a key focus under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, PSN has been deployed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to address various violent crime issues within the district, particularly those involving firearms.
