Dupo Man Sentenced For Operating A Drug House

Jacob Nelson, 32, of Dupo, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on September 9, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

A jury convicted Nelson of three federal charges on April 11, 2013, following a four day jury trial. The jury found Nelson guilty of Maintaining Drug Involved Premises at his home in the one hundred block of North Third Street in Dupo, IL. The jury also found Nelson guilty of unlawfully possessing two firearms. Nelson was acquitted on a fourth charge of distributing heroin with death resulting.

At his jury trial in April, Nelson’s neighbors testified that he had sold heroin, cocaine and marijuana “24/7” (every day and all night) between July 2010 and July 2011.

Nelson has been confined since his arrest in February, 2012. When Nelson is released from prison, he will be required to complete a term of three years of supervised release. Nelson was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,500, and to pay special assessments of $300.

The investigation which resulted in Nelson’s arrest, conviction and sentence was conducted by the Columbia, IL Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.