Local
Related Photos
Man gets 13 years for meth
Two more cases pending in connection with incident at Belle Prairie FS plant
By PAUL LORENZ
paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com
McLEANSBORO — One of three Franklin County residents arrested here in March on methamphetamine-related charges was sentenced to prison last week.
Scott W. Wiggins, 27, received a 13-year state prison sentence after pleading guilty June 15 to unlawful possession of meth-manufacturing material, a Class 2 felony, according to Hamilton County Circuit Court records.
Local authorities arrested Wiggins, his wife, Stacy K. Wiggins, and Ronald L. Burgess Jr., all of Benton, early March 26 after setting up an “anhydrous watch” at the Belle Prairie FS Wabash Valley Service Co. plant, Dahlgren, Hamilton County Sheriff Greg Brenner said.
Burgess and Scott Wiggins were arrested at the plant; McLeansboro police arrested Stacy Wiggins after stopping a car which had left the scene, the sheriff said.
Scott Wiggins pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing several items which he intended to use to make meth, including rock salt, coffee filters, a lithium battery, starting fluid, plastic tubing and a fire extinguisher containing anhydrous ammonia.
Police saw Scott Wiggins filling a fire extinguisher with anhydrous ammonia at the Belle Prairie FS plant, according to the state’s attorney’s statement. All of the meth-manufacturing materials except the fire extinguisher were found in the car which Stacy Wiggins is accused of using to drop her husband off at the FS plant, the statement said.
Charges of participation in meth manufacturing and unlawful possession of a meth precursor in a form other than standard dosage form, both Class X felonies, unlawful meth conspiracy, a Class 2 felony, and tampering with anhydrous ammonia equipment, a Class 3 felony, against Scott Wiggins were dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea, according to court records.
Judge Paul W. Lamar also ordered Scott Wiggins to pay court costs and a $1,000 drug assessment.
Stacy Wiggins, 24, is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 3. Burgess, 26, is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 9 a.m. Aug. 6.
- Local
-
-
A forum on substance abuse
What are your thoughts about substance abuse in Hamilton County?
-
Zoning discussion continues
As the City Council continues to look at setting up zoning regulations, one alderman expressed concern that lack of such regulation is hurting the city’s growth potential.
-
Wall crashes through roof
A long-vacant building ordered torn down because village officials felt it had become a hazard did not go quietly last week.
-
Man sent to prison for criminal sexual abuse
A Broughton man was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
-
Kidnapping charge dropped; woman gets probation
A woman charged with kidnapping her son pleaded guilty last week to a misdemeanor charge of violation of an order of protection.
-
Dahlgren library receives $5,200 grant
This Hamilton County village’s all-volunteer public library got a big boost recently from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
-
All-class reunion in the works
If you attended high school here, you might want to keep July 2012 open on your calendar.
-
Reward increased to $50,000
Recent acts of vandalism against power substations and power poles in Hamilton and Franklin counties have forced Southern Illinois Power Cooperative to increase the reward from $10,000 to $50,000 for tips leading to the arrest of vandals.
-
Tillis to headline Fall Festival lineup
Country music legend Mel Tillis will be the featured entertainment at this year’s Kiwanis Fall Festival.
-
Extracurricular policy revised
A policy revision approved Tuesday night by the Hamilton County Unit 10 Board of Education draws the line regarding extracurricular athletic participation by its students.
- More Local Headlines
-
A forum on substance abuse
