Ridgeway County Man Sentenced To Imprisonment For Manufacturing Marijuana

Daniel J. Fulkerson, 39, of Ridgeway, Illinois, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Benton to a term of 60 months in prison for growing over 100 marijuana plants and conspiring with others to do so, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Fulkerson previously pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with conspiring with two other individuals to manufacture over 100 marijuana plants (count 1) and manufacturing over 100 plants (count 2).

The offenses occurred in Gallatin County between April 2012, and August 29, 2012. On August 29th, law enforcement agents conducted ground surveillance on three marijuana plots which they had identified from the air and took Fulkerson and co-defendant Paul E. Reynolds, also of Ridgeway, into custody as they entered the plots to water and tend the plants. A total of 132 plants were seized.

In addition to the 5 year term of imprisonment, Fulkerson was ordered to pay the United States fines and special assessments totaling $400 and was placed on a 4 year term of supervised release to follow his incarceration. Fulkerson was returned to the custody of the United States Marshal to await designation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to one of its facilities.

Reynolds has also pled guilty to the same charges. His sentencing is set for Thursday, April 25th at 10 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Benton.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.