FRANKLIN COUNTY — A 70-year-old former Sesser mayor is scheduled to appear Tuesday afternoon in Franklin County court where he has been formally charged with five felony counts stemming from his mid-January arrest for possession of methamphetamine.

Ned Mitchell is charged with three Class X felonies, one for manufacture or delivery of meth or fentanyl near a school, public housing or Public Park, and two for armed violence. He’s also facing two class 4 felonies, one for possession of a controlled substance and one for permitting unlawful use of a building for the manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance.

Mitchell served as mayor of Sesser from 1979 to 2013, when he was defeated by current Mayor Jason Ashmore. He also served briefly in the Illinois Senate when he was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 1999.

According to an earlier news release from the Sesser police department, Mitchell, and 42-year-old Elaina Kays, of Sesser, were arrested Jan. 15 after police executed a search warrant on Mitchell’s residence in Sesser. During the search of the home, police reportedly found meth and drug paraphernalia.

Both defendants posted bond and were released from the Franklin County Jail following their arrests.