Ali M. Summers Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois
A federal jury in Benton, Illinois, has found Kevin D. Stewart of Edwardsville guilty on two counts related to methamphetamine distribution. Stewart, 59, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of the drug.
His co-defendant, Elizabeth J. Schwartzkopf, 43, from Pinckneyville, had previously pleaded guilty in September to similar charges and received a sentence of 48 months in prison.
"The collaboration between the ISP and the U.S. Attorney's Office is essential in dismantling drug trafficking networks," stated ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "By combining investigative expertise with prosecutorial power, this partnership delivers justice more effectively, disrupting criminal operations and protecting the well-being of our communities."
Court documents reveal that Illinois State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Schwartzkopf with Stewart as a passenger in March 2024. Officers discovered 312 grams of methamphetamine, 924 grams of homemade THC gummies, and a scale inside the vehicle.
Stewart is scheduled for sentencing at the federal courthouse in Benton on September 16, 2025. The charge for possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of meth carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years.
The investigation was led by the Illinois State Police Drug Task Force, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Sanders and Tom Leggans prosecuting the case.
