News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2009
Contact: Thomas E. Murphy
(314) 538-4660

SEPT 10 -- (BENTON, IL) - A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 1, 2009, Brady McGRUDER, a/k/a “June,” a/k/a “James G. Martin,” a/k/a “Brady Martin,” age 43, of Chicago, Illinois, and April D. SULLENS , age 23, of Centralia, Illinois, were sentenced in the United States District Court in Benton, Illinois. McGRUDER was sentenced to 365 months imprisonment, fined $400, and placed on 4 years supervised release. SULLENS was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, fined $300, and placed on 3 years supervised release.

McGRUDER had previously pleaded guilty to four counts in a federal indictment. SULLENS had previously pleaded guilty to three counts in a federal indictment. Count 1 charged that from in or about March 2008 to November 6, 2008, in Marion County, Illinois, and elsewhere, McGRUDER, SULLENS , and three others conspired and agreed with other persons to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, heroin. The amount of heroin involved in the conspiracy is one hundred (100) grams or more. Counts 2, 3, and 4 charged McGRUDER with distributing heroin. The distributions occurred in Marion County, Illinois, on August 29, September 2, and September 11, 2008. Count 10 charged SULLENS with distributing heroin on October 2, 2008. Count 11 charged that on November 6, 2008, SULLENS possessed heroin with the intent to distribute. Two other co-defendants have been sentenced in this case. One co-defendant remains to be sentenced.

The investigation was conducted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Police, the Centralia Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration pursuant to their participation in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. The Marion County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted during the investigation.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood for prosecution.