Two Mt.Vernon Men Charged With Trafficking Meth

A pair of Mt. Vernon residents is under federal indictment today for methamphetamine- related 
offenses. Malcolm Brooks, 36, and Garry V. Gilliams, 40, are named in a seven-count indictment 
returned on Oct. 24, 2019. According to the indictment, the two men conspired to distribute 50 
grams or more of methamphetamine within the Southern District of Illinois from December 2018 to 
April 2019.

The two men are also accused of distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on several 
occasions. Gilliams is charged separately with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on 
two dates in December 2018. The indictment further alleges that on April 21, 2019, Brooks possessed 
with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.

If convicted of the conspiracy charge, Brooks and Gilliam each face 10 years to life imprisonment, 
a fine of up to $10 million, and at least 5 years of supervised release. The same limits of 
punishment apply to Gilliams’ alleged methamphetamine distributions last December. All other 
charges carry a statutory penalty of 5-40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5 million, and 
supervised release of not less than 4 years.

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.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mt. Vernon 
Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, the
United States Marshal Service, the Marion Police Department, and the FBI.