Massac County Man Sentenced For Methamphetamine Offense

On August 10, 2016, Brandon L. Watson, a/k/a "Dubb," 29, of Metropolis, was sentenced for his involvement in a methamphetamine offense, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today.

Watson, who had previously pled guilty to a one-count superseding indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment, 4 years’ supervised release, and was fined $200.00. The offense occurred between May 2015 and October 26, 2015, in Williamson and Massac Counties. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Watson was involved with co-defendant Gary Skinner and others in distributing methamphetamine, in the form of "ice." Ice is methamphetamine which has a purity level of at least 80%. Skinner, who was residing in St. Louis, was delivering multi-ounce amounts of ice to Watson for distribution in the Metropolis area. On October 26, 2015, Skinner’s vehicle was stopped on I-57 in Williamson County for a traffic violation. During a vehicle search, officers located over 200 grams of ice, which Skinner was going to deliver to Watson. Later laboratory analysis confirmed that the ice had purity levels between 98% - 100%. At sentencing, the district court determined that Watson was responsible for the distribution of more than 907 grams of ice. Skinner has pled guilty to his role in the methamphetamine conspiracy and is currently being held without bond pending an August 24, 2016, sentencing hearing.

The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, Illinois State Police, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Massac County States Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.