carlos-scott

EAST ST. LOUIS — A 32-year-old Centralia man was sentenced Monday in federal court to more than five years in prison after he’d earlier pleaded guilty to a one-count federal indictment charging him of distributing methamphetamine.

Carlos Scott was arrested in July of 2020 after investigators determined three separate and suspicious shipments were scheduled to arrive in Centralia over a three-day period.

Officers intercepted the first package and a police K-9 unit from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department gave a positive alert for the presence of drugs.

A search warrant for the package was obtained and revealed what appeared to be a factory-packaged television set.

Upon closer inspection, it was found that all the internal parts of the television had been removed and a large quantity of drugs was hidden inside of the reassembled TV.

Investigators removed most of the drugs only leaving a small quantity inside then, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspectors office, equipped the package with an electronic remote alarm device that would indicate if the package were opened.

Once alerted, police moved in and arrested Scott.

Items seized in Carlos Scott case
(Source: CPD)

In total, the Centralia Police Department seized 13.2 Pounds of Methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of Cocaine, ¼ pound of Heroin, 287 Ecstasy Tablets, two bottles of THC oil, 166 grams of Cannabis, and almost $25,000 in cash.

Authorities said at the time that it was the largest drug seizure the history of the area.

Scott was taken to the Marion County Jail on a Class X felony charging him with meth distribution and he posted $30,000 cash bail a month later.

A federal warrant was later issued for his arrest after a grand jury handed down a one-count indictment.

Scott pleaded guilty last year to that single count and has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal since his federal arrest.

He was sentenced Monday to 65 months in federal prison. Once that sentence is completed, he’ll have to serve three years of federal parole.