Decatur Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

Coryell Henz, a 45-year-old resident of Decatur, Illinois, has been sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. The sentence, handed down on October 20, 2026, by U. S.

District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, will be followed by an eight-year term of supervised release, the U. S.

Attorney's Office said.

Henz was initially indicted in August 2024 and entered a guilty plea in June 2026. His legal troubles began in July 2023 when the Illinois State Police conducted a traffic stop in Sangamon County, leading to his arrest for possession of two kilograms of cocaine. According to the prosecution, Henz had traveled to Texas to purchase the cocaine, which he intended to distribute in the Central District of Illinois.

The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine include a minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, along with potential fines reaching $20,000,000. Henz's case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S.

Attorney Matthew Z. Weir and was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program that aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. The investigation into Henz's activities was conducted by the Illinois State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration's Springfield Resident Office.

Henz's sentencing underscores the serious legal consequences associated with drug trafficking and the efforts of law enforcement to combat such activities through coordinated initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods.