Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A Springfield man will spend more than a decade in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Jesse Bates, 38, was given seventeen years behind bars last Thursday.

He was arrested in January, 2024 after prosecutors say he sold 50 grams of meth to an undercover agent.  He allegedly fled the scene after the distribution, and wasn’t arrested until he made his way to Georgia.

The judge reportedly called Bates a “career offender,” since he was out on bond for a weapons charge at the time.

“The only thing to be gained from a career as a drug dealer is a prison sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger, in a news release. “I appreciate the work of the ATF agents who came to central Illinois and went into the field to ensure this was a successful operation. Their work has made our community safer.”