(BENTON, IL) — A Jefferson County man was sentenced Friday to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, according to Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. 49-year old Monty D. Hamson of Mount Vernon, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release and fined $500. Hamson had previously pleaded guilty to two counts in a federal indictment. From May 2010, until on or about February 19, 2014, in Jefferson County, Hamson conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury to manufacture methamphetamine. On February 19, 2014, in Jefferson County, he possessed equipment, chemicals, products or materials which may be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Joint Narcotics Unit of the Mount Vernon Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.