A Randolph County resident was indicted on November 16, 2011, in a one-count indictment, charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

On November 21, 2011, Bonnie L. Wahl, a/k/a Bonnie Biesterfeld, 45, of Chester, IL, appeared in federal court in Benton, on the one-count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. On November 22, 2011, Wahl pled not guilty and her bond was set at $100,000. Wahl’s case is currently scheduled for a January 23, 2012, jury trial.

The conspiracy offense occurred between December 2009 and May 2011, in Jackson and Randolph Counties. The offense carries a penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $10 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Chester Police Department, Murphysboro Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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