La Salle man pleads guilty to gun, drug offenses

A La Salle man faces up to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to felony charges stemming from a gun and drug seizure.

Nicholas R. Milby, 35, appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court and entered a blind plea to two of his felony offenses: being an armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony carrying six to 30 years in prison, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 1 felony carrying a sentence of four to 15 years.

In exchange for his plea, La Salle County prosecutors agreed to dismiss additional charges and limit their sentencing recommendation to 13 years when Milby stands for sentencing at 11 a.m. June 27.

Milby was charged Sept. 2 after the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team and La Salle police raided his residence (located near La Salle-Peru High School) and seized drugs (later found to be methamphetamine) along with a 9-mm pistol and dozens of rounds of ammunition.

Milby’s criminal history includes convictions for burglary and residential burglary, which, coupled with the drugs, made him eligible for Class X sentencing.