Sandoval Woman Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug Conspiracy

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Kathy Sue Tomes, 62, of Sandoval, Illinois, pled guilty on October 7, 2015, to an indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury in December 2014 against her and others. All charges relate to the production and distribution of methamphetamine - Count 1 of the indictment is a Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine from February 28, 2014, through October 1, 2014, in Clinton and Marion Counties, and, Count 8 related to Possession of a Listed Chemical (Pseudoephedrine) Knowing or Having Reasonable Cause to Believe that It Would Be Used to Manufacture Methamphetamine.

Count 1 carries a penalty of not less than 5 years, up to a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, a $5 million fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release. Count 8 carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and not less than 3 years of supervised release. Both counts require an assessment of $100. There is no parole in the federal system. Sentencing is scheduled January 22, 2016.

Information leading to the charges against Tomes was obtained in an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, and the Centralia Police Department. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kit Morrissey.