EAST ST. LOUIS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on August 12, 2009, TOMMIE LEE HOPKINS, age 49, of East St. Louis, Illinois, pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging two counts of distribution of"crack" cocaine. The violations occurred on July 24, 2006, and February 6, 2007, when HOPKINS sold more than five grams of "crack" cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Each offense carries with it a term of imprisonment from 5 to 40 years, a fine of not more than $2 million, or both, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 years. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

The investigation was conducted by ATF as part its participation in Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nation-wide initiative intended to combat gun and drug crimes. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.