Two Randolph County Residents Charged With Methamphetamine Offense

Two Randolph County residents were indicted on December 8, 2015, for a methamphetamine offense, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, James L. Porter, announced today.

Joseph S. Hatley, 37, of Sparta, and Dyllan V. Wayland, 25, of Coulterville, are charged in a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between March 2015 and August 2015 in Perry, Randolph, and Monroe Counties. Hatley and Wayland are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court in Benton on January 5, 2016.

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 methamphetamine offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Percy Police Department, Steeleville Police Department, Sparta Police Department, and Illinois Department of Corrections. The Randolph County States Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

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