Rock Falls man charged with dealing meth

MORRISON – A Rock Falls man who police said they tried to pull over in the middle of the night on a bike was arrested Tuesday on meth and cocaine charges.

Ryan C. Velazquez, 42, pleaded not guilty later that day to possession with intent to distribute at least 15 grams of meth, which is punishable by six to 30 years in prison; possession of the same amount, which is punishable by four to 15 years; possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine, which carries one to three years; and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

About 3 a.m., Rock Falls police tried to stop Velazquez, who police said ran a stop sign, but he fled on a bike and then on foot, Chief Dave Pilgrim said in a news release Wednesday.

He was arrested a short time later.

Velazquez was released from the Whiteside County Jail after a detention hearing. He has a pretrial hearing set Feb. 28.

Velazquez has three 2022 felony cases pending in Whiteside County, two accusing him of driving while his license was revoked and one alleging retail theft, as well as four felony convictions: in 2015 and 2016, both for driving on a revoked license, in 2009 for destroying evidence, and in 2000 for burglary.