RALEIGH MAN INDICTED ON FIREARM CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on June 2, 2009, THOMAS B. PARTAIN, age 49, of Raleigh, Illinois, was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, in a one-count indictment charging him with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. The violation is alleged to have taken place on May 26, 2009, in Saline County.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. 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 offense carries a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of 3 years’ supervised release. PARTAIN made his initial appearance on the charge on June 12, 2009, and was ordered held without bond pending an August 18, 2009, jury trial.

The investigation was a joint effort of the United States Marshals Service, Saline County Sheriff’s Department Drug Task Force, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, pursuant to those agencies’ participation in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. The goal of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is to remove illegal guns and drugs from our communities. Under the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors are working together to prosecute drug dealers, felons in possession of firearms, and criminals that use firearms to commit violent offenses or drug trafficking offenses in the system that will get them the most time.

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