(BENTON, IL) — Three Perry County residents were indicted on February 3, 2015, for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, according to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton. Skyler A. Elder, 25, Joseph D. Smith, 41, and Jamie L. Smith, 33, all of Pinckneyville, are charged in a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between 2012 and December 2014, in Perry, Jackson, and Randolph Franklin Counties. The Smiths made their initial appearances in federal court in Benton on February 9, 2015. They are currently on bond, pending an April 2015, jury trial. Elder made his initial appearance in federal court on February 13, 2015. He is currently being held without bond pending a February 17, 2015, detention hearing. An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. The methamphetamine offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Drug Task Force, Murphysboro Police Department, and DuQuoin Police Department. The Pinckneyville Police Department and Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team assisted in the investigation. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.

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