Sentencing took place in the new Federal Courthouse in Rockford.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rockford:

TENTH NORTHERN ILLINOIS RESIDENT SENTENCED ON FEDERAL DRUG CHARGES

ROCKFORD — A Cary, Ill. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Rockford for his role in a drug conspiracy in Northern Illinois from January 1999 through March 2010.

ROBERT S. CAIN, 49, who pled guilty on August 5, 2011, to conspiring to manufacture and distribute marijuana, was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years of supervised release following his release from prison, as well as being ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 assessment by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala.

According to the written plea agreement, Cain admitted that as early as January 1999 through March 2010, he and his co-defendants conspired to grow and distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana.

Cain admitted that he and his co-defendants would illegally grow and store their supply of marijuana in residences they leased or purchased, then sell the marijuana to drug dealers.

In 1999, Cain and co-defendant Graham Scott McGill rented a house in Bull Valley, Ill. McGill equipped the house to grow the marijuana.

The two defendants recruited others to assist in the marijuana growing operation and McGill had friends sell the marijuana.

The house in Bull Valley was used to grow marijuana for approximately 4 years.

In addition, other homes were rented or purchased by one or more co-defendants and installed with equipment necessary to grow marijuana indoors, including homes in

• Kildeer,
• Union,
• Woodstock, and
• Marengo, Ill.

The conspirators used profits from the illegal sales of marijuana to purchase houses, vehicles and other assets, concealing
their purchases by falsely titling them in other individuals names.

Eight coconspirators previously pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana and were sentenced as follows:

• CHARLES P. PERSICO, 34, of Hoffman Estates, Ill., was sentenced on November 9, 2011, to 135 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $100 assessment;
• JONATHAN S. ROMINE, 34, of Lake in the Hills, Ill., was sentenced on October 24, 2011, to 46 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $300 fine and a $100 assessment;
• ROBERT STRINGINI, 73, of Schaumburg, Ill, was sentenced on September 27, 2011, to 60 months in federal prison without parole, 3 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and a $100 assessment;
• LORETTA CATTANI, 58, of Union, Ill., was sentenced on November 1, 2011, to 22 months in federal prison without parole, 4 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $100 assessment;
• SAM STRINGINI, 34, of Schaumburg, Ill., was sentenced on October 5, 2011, to 58 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $100 assessment;
• ROBERT E. NELSON, 58, of Evanston, Ill., was sentenced on August 31, 2011, to 43 months in federal prison without parole, 5 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and a $100 assessment;
• CLAUSEN JOHNSON, 46, of Crystal Lake, Ill., was sentenced on October 6, 2011, to 37 months in federal prison without parole, 4 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $100 assessment; and
• VINCENT FASANO, 49, of Roselle, Ill., was sentenced on October 19, 2011, to 4 months in federal prison without parole, 2 years supervised release following his release from prison, and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and a $100 assessment. In addition, Fasano was ordered to forfeit property located in Delevan, Wis.
• Also charged in the case is GRAHAM SCOTT McGILL, 59, formerly of Johnsburg, Ill., who remains a fugitive.

In addition to the above defendants, JEFFREY W. ROMINE, 32, of Woodstock, Ill., pled guilty in a related case on May 13, 2011, to use of a communication facility in facilitating the conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana. Jeffrey Romine was sentenced on August 16, 2011, to 48 months in federal prison, one year of supervised release following his release from
prison, and a $100 assessment.

The sentencing was announced by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; John J. Riley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Alvin Patton, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; Keith Nygren, McHenry County Sheriff; and Larry Lindeman, Director of the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.