On February 11, 2011, Dennis Yates, 53, of Buncombe, Ill.-, was sentenced in United States
District Court in Benton, Ill.-, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen
R. Wigginton, announced today. Yates, who had previously pled guilty to a one-count indictment
charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment,
10 years’ supervised release, and was fined $300.

The written stipulation of facts submitted at the time of Yates’ guilty plea established that,
between January, 2007, and April, 2010, Yates was involved with others in the manufacture of
methamphetamine. Co-conspirators were obtaining pseudoephedrine pills at multiple stores in Union,
Jackson and Williamson Counties. Those pills were provided to Yates for the manufacture of
methamphetamine. At sentencing, the district court found that Yates was responsible for the
manufacture of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Two co-defendants have previously been
sentenced for their role in the methamphetamine conspiracy.

United States Attorney Wigginton noted that this, and other similarly long sentences for those
involved in dealing in methamphetamine, should serve as a warning and a deterrent to those who would
peddle this type of poison in our communities.

The investigation was conducted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s
Office, Murphysboro Police Department, and Anna Police Department. The investigation was conducted
as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods DRAGUN Team Initiative, a cooperative effort of local, state,
and federal law enforcement, and state and federal prosecutors, aimed at ridding communities of illegal
drugs and guns. The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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