Two Jackson County Men Charged With Methamphetamine Conspiracy

Two Elkville, Illinois, residents were indicted on June 20, 2013, in an indictment, charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

On June 24, 2013, Charles L. Scott, a/k/a “Boomer,” 42, was arraigned in United States District Court in Benton on the indictment. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between March 2012 and March 2013 in Jackson and Perry Counties. Scott is currently being held without bond pending a June 27, 2013, detention hearing. Co-defendant Charles E. Witherspoon, a/k/a “Spoon,” 61, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court on June 25, 2013. The case is set for jury trial on August 26, 2013.

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.

If convicted, Scott and Witherspoon each face a term in prison of up to 20 years, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Pinckneyville Police Department, DuQuoin Police Department, and Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.