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Press Release

Adams County Drug Court Supervisor Charged With Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of Illinois

Springfield, Ill. – A supervisor of the Adams County, Ill., probation department’s drug court program, John Grotts, 59, of Ursa, Ill., has been charged in federal court by criminal complaint with maintaining a drug-involved premises. 

Grotts appeared this afternoon in Springfield before U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron G. Cudmore.  Grotts turned himself in to law enforcement officers this morning.  The government did not seek Grotts’ detention and he was released on his own recognizance.  Grotts’ next federal court appearance is scheduled on June 29, 2013. 

The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that Grotts’ residence, in the 200 block of Walker Street, was made available for use or used to manufacture or use methamphetamine and marijuana.  According to the affidavit, items recovered from Grotts’ home, which he shared with a May 2012 graduate of the Adams County drug court program, during execution of a state-authorized search warrant on Apr. 26, 2013, allegedly included items related to growing marijuana indoors and items used to manufacture or use methamphetamine and marijuana, and a number of firearms.

If convicted, the statutory penalty for maintaining a drug-involved premises is up to 20 years in prison. 

The charge is the result of an investigation by the West Central Illinois Task Force; the Adams County Sheriff’s Office; the Quincy Police Department; and the Illinois State Police.    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres in cooperation with the office of Adams County State’s Attorney Jon Barnard.

Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Updated June 22, 2015