O’Fallon Man Indicted On Drug, Gun Charges

Matthew G. Patterson, 23, of O’Fallon, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in East St. Louis on June 18, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The Grand Jury charged Patterson with Unlawful Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana (Count 1) and Possession of a Firearm In Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense (Count 2). The indictment, which was originally suppressed, but has since been unsealed, also seeks the forfeiture of two firearms along with “all property constituting, or derived from any proceeds” obtained as a result of the offense charged in Count 1. Upon conviction, Count 1 carries a possible penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, at least two (2) years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment; Count 2 carries a possible penalty of a minimum of five (5) years imprisonment, consecutive to any sentence imposed on Count 1, a $250,000 fine, not more than five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Trial is this matter is currently scheduled for September 16, in United States District Court in East St. Louis.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Evidence for this indictment was gathered during an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (MEGSI).

This case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.