MCLEAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS — A McLean County jury convicted a California truck driver Thursday in one of the largest cocaine cases the county has ever seen. Nearly 234 pounds of cocaine — worth $10.6 million on the street — sat hidden in four large garbage bags inside his refrigerated trailer.
Jobanpreet Singh, 30, now faces 30 to 120 years in prison. The jury found him guilty of controlled substance trafficking and unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He must serve 75 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Circuit Judge William Yoder will sentence him on May 28.
The Traffic Stop
On April 17, 2025, an Illinois State Police trooper pulled Singh over on eastbound Interstate 74 at the LeRoy exit. Singh was hauling a refrigerator truck supposedly carrying poultry. Right away, something seemed off. Singh took a significant amount of time to pull over. When officers questioned him, he showed visible signs of nervousness, according to McLean County State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds.
A K-9 officer then alerted to drugs inside the trailer. Officers searched and pulled out four large black garbage bags packed with cocaine. The total came to nearly 234 pounds — among the largest drug seizures in McLean County history. For context, the previous record stood at 238 pounds, seized back in 2009.
Singh’s Defense
Singh told authorities he had no idea the drugs were in his trailer. He claimed he had picked up two loads of produce and never spotted the garbage bags during his pre-trip inspection. Investigators, however, weren’t buying it.
A search of Singh’s cell phone turned up communications about hauling loads across the country for $5,400. Those messages, Reynolds said, pointed directly to Singh working as a drug mule.
What Prosecutors Said
“Thank you to the Illinois State Police for interdicting this vehicle and making sure these narcotics never made it on the street to poison our community,” Reynolds said. She also credited Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Williams for her dedication to the case.
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