Two men sentenced for meth conspiracy

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced on Dec. 1 that two men had been sentenced after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

Jeremy L. Stone, 24, of Murphysboro, and Rodney C. Kimes, 40, of Carmi, were sentenced Monday, Nov. 29, in United States District Court in Benton.

Stone was sentenced to 46 months in prison, three years of supervised release and was fined $600.

Kimes was sentenced to 60 months in prison, five years of supervised release and was fined $300.

Wigginton said the violation took place between April 2008 and September 2009 in Union and Jackson counties.

Three codefendants previously had been sentenced for their roles in the methamphetamine conspiracy.

One codefendant has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphysboro Police Department, in cooperation with Union County State’s Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds and Jackson County State’s Attorney Michael Wepsiec.

The investigation was conducted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

The initiative is a cooperative effort involving local, state and federal law enforcement personnel, and state and federal prosecuting authorities.

The goal of the initiative is to rid communities of illegal drugs and guns.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.