Two Jackson County Residents Sentenced On Methamphetamine Offense

On September 14, 2015, and September 24, 2015, James Scott Rankin, 45, and Thomas A. O’Grady, 50, both of Carbondale, IL, were sentenced for their involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Rankin and O’Grady had previously pled guilty to the one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Rankin and O’Grady were sentenced to prison terms of 84 months and 132 months, respectively. Both men were also ordered to serve 3 years’ supervised release following the prison sentence and were each fined $200. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Rankin and O’Grady were involved with others in the unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine. The offense occurred between 2010 and May 2014, in Jackson, Williamson, Union, and Franklin Counties. Twelve co-defendants have previously been sentenced for their involvement in the methamphetamine conspiracy.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Carbondale Police Department, Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, and Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.