Chicago man gets 9 years in prison for Utica heroin-fentanyl bust

A Chicago man is headed to prison for nine years for selling fentanyl-laced heroin to undercover agents in Utica.

Alexander Bryant, 30, also listed in Cicero, had entered a blind plea March 6 in La Salle County Circuit Court to two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, both Class X felonies carrying an extended sentence of nine to 33 years in prison, with no possibility of probation, because the contraband tested positive for fentanyl.

On Thursday, Bryant appeared and entered an agreed-upon sentence of two nine-year sentences to run concurrently.

Bryant declined an opportunity to address Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. before sentencing.

Bryant was charged after the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team arranged for two controlled buys on May 9 and July 25 at Love’s in Utica. Both times, Bryant swapped jeweler bags full of heroin in exchange for $500 in cash.

Although prosecutors said in open court that the amounts tested came to 15.1 grams (0.033 pounds), each putting Bryant just above the Class X threshold, court records and previous open-court statements indicated that the July seizure was more than 57 grams. Tri-DENT said at the time that it was the largest street-level seizure in recent memory.