Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that James Perry Horton, 48, of Centralia, Illinois, pled guilty today to an 11-count indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury in December 2014. Horton was named in Counts 1 and 11 of the indictment. All offenses relate to the production and distribution of methamphetamine. Specifically, Horton pled guilty to Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine from Feb. 28, 2014, through Oct. 1, 2014 in Clinton and Marion Counties (Count 1), and Possession of a Listed Chemical (Pseudoephedrine) Knowing or Having Reason to Know that It Would Be Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine (Count 11).
Count 1 carries a maximum penalty of not less than 5 years, but up to 40 years in federal prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years’ supervised release. Count 11 carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and not less than 3 years’ supervised release. Both counts require an assessment of $100. There is no parole in the federal system.
Information leading to the charges was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, and the Centralia Police Department. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
