Randolph County Resident Sentenced to 15 Years for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

On May 11, 2018, Jason M. Stoker, 35, of Chester, Illinois, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for a methamphetamine offense, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Stoker previously pleaded guilty on January 26, 2018, to a one-count superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

As part of his guilty plea, Stoker admitted his involvement with others in the distribution of ice in Southern Illinois. "Ice" is a substance containing methamphetamine of at least 80% purity. Stoker obtained dealer amounts of ice and supplied it to others. On August 24, 2016, Stoker sold ice to a confidential source working for law enforcement. He admitted that he should be held responsible for distributing between 150 and 500 grams of ice.

On October 28, 2016, Officer James I. Brockmeyer of the Chester, Illinois Police Department attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Stoker. Because he had ice in his car, Stoker refused to pull over and instead fled from law enforcement at a high rate of speed. During the ensuing pursuit, Officer Brockmeyer lost control of his vehicle and was killed as a result of the crash. Officer Brockmeyer was 22 years old and also served as a volunteer firefighter in Chester.

At sentencing, Officer Brockmeyer’s mother, Dixie, and Chief Ryan Coffey of the Chester Police Department spoke in open court about the impact of his death. Stoker received an enhanced sentence for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury in the course of fleeing from a law enforcement officer.

The investigation was conducted by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Chester Police Department, Illinois State Police, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Police Department, Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department, United States

Marshals Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Randolph County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation. The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda A. Robertson and Adam E. Hanna for prosecution.