BENTON — Four people have been charged in federal court with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in southern Illinois.

Court records show 36-year-old Scott A. Carnell of Pacific, Missouri, 36-year-old Jarrett C. Hood of Walsh, Illinois, 30-year-old Kayla S. Kempfer of Marissa, Illinois and 32-year-old Jordan D. Vuichard of Sparta, Illinois are named defendants in a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

The indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury earlier this month, alleges that the offense occurred between 2017 and August 2018 in Jackson, Randolph and St. Clair counties.

Kempfer and Hood made their initial appearances in federal court on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, respectively.  They are both being held without bond pending a Nov. 26 jury trial. Carnell and Vuichard have their initial appearances scheduled for Oct. 4 at the federal courthouse in Benton.

By law, if convicted, the defendants face a minimum of five years in prison and could receive as much as 40 years imprisonment and fines of up to $5 million.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Sparta Police Department, New Athens Police Department, Marissa Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Randolph County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.