Ivan Vazquez-Gonzalez, 23, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who most recently lived in Granite City and Chicago, has been sentenced to more than 43 years in prison following charges brought against him and 25 other people by U.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton

Vazquez-Gonzalez has been sentenced to 521 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and to pay fines and special assessments totaling $1,560. Vazquez-Gonzalez must also forfeit $9 million to the U.S. government. Following Vazquez-Gonzalez's release from prison, he will be deported. Vazquez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty in December 2011 to engaging in a continuing criminal conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute cocaine, illegal entry into the country without inspection, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and interstate travel in support of racketeering. The court found that Vazquez-Gonzalez was the leader of a drug trafficking organization of at least 28 people and distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine while possessing a firearm and making threats related to his drug trafficking enterprise.