Three Richland County, Illinois residents have been charged with methamphetamine related offenses in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.
Justin R. Mason, age 35, Harvey L. Ireland, age 34, and Brianna N. Bare, age 25, all of Olney, Illinois, were charged on May 8, 2018, in a three-count superseding indictment. Count 1 charges that from August 2017, until on or about March 7, 2018, in Richland County, and elsewhere, Mason, Ireland, and Bare conspired to knowingly and intentionally distribute methamphetamine. It is further alleged that the total amount of methamphetamine involved in the conspiracy was fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine (Ice), or five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
Count 2 charges that on Feb. 3, 2018, in Richland County, Bare knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Count 3 charges that on Feb. 17, 2018, in Richland County, Bare knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
With respect to Count 1, Mason, Ireland, and Bare each face 10 years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and supervised release of not less than five years. For Counts 2 and 3, Bare faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release.
Ireland and Bare both made their initial appearance and were arraigned in federal court on May 14, 2018. Mason and Ireland were ordered detained in federal custody pending trial, which is presently scheduled to begin on July 23, 2018, at the federal courthouse in Benton, Illinois.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
