California Men Charged Locally w/Cocaine Trafficking

Two California men have been charged in Effingham County with Class X felony counts of controlled substance trafficking.

25-year-old Miguel Escamilla of Madeira, California and 31-year-old Ivan Ochoa of Paso Robles, California were arrested by Illinois State Police Sunday in Effingham. Each man is accused of possessing more than 900 grams of cocaine, but the Effingham County State's Attorney's Office said the actual amount could have exceeded 35,000 grams.

A Class X felony means mandatory prison time should a conviction result.

Escamilla and Ochoa are due in court Thursday for a status hearing. Bond for each man was set at $500,000.