United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BENTON, IL. - Stephen R. Wigginton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that on February 11, 2011, Eric Shafer, 36, of Lynchburg Road, Mt. Vernon, IL, plead guilty in United States District Court at Benton, Ill.-, to a one count indictment charging him with possession of a listed (pseudoephedrine) knowing it would be used to manufacture a controlled (methamphetamine), The violation took place from on or about September, 2007, through October, 2010, in Jefferson and Franklin Counties. After his plea, Shafer’s detention was continued, thus he was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing, which is scheduled for 10 a.m., May 12, 2011.

At his plea, Shafer admitted to the court that from September 2007 through October 2010, he would purchase or obtain pseudoephedrine pills from others for use in manufacturing methamphetamine. Records from several merchants throughout southern Illinois showed numerous purchases of pseudoephedrine by Shafer during this period. The offense carries with it a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, or both. Any term of imprisonment must be followed by a term of not more than three years of supervised release.

This investigation was conducted jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Illinois State Police, the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.