FOUR CHARGED IN METHAMPHETAMINE CONSPIRACY

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on June 16, 2009, JAMES B. HANSON, age 30, of Christopher, Illinois, JASON A. HANSON, age 26, of Logan, Illinois, JESSE D. MAY, age 24, of Herrin, Illinois, and ROBERT S. HOUSTON, age 28, of Carterville, Illinois, were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in East St. Louis, Illinois, in a one-count superseding indictment, charging them with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The violation is alleged to have taken place between December 2005 and May 21, 2009, in Jackson, Williamson, and Franklin Counties, Illinois.

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 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $4,000,000, and a term of 5 years’ supervised release. MAY and HOUSTON made their initial appearances in federal court on June 24, 2009. JASON HANSON is set to make his initial appearance on June 30, 2009. JAMES HANSON was recently arrested in Nevada and will make his initial appearance at a later date.

The investigation was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, COMIT Drug Task Force, and Drug Enforcement Administration pursuant to their participation in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative for the Southern District of Illinois. 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.