By PAUL LORENZ
paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com
McLEANSBORO — A man charged with distributing marijuana near the grade school here has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Tyrie D. Blackburn, 31, of the 400 block of East St. Charles Avenue, pleaded guilty Feb. 10 to unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis while on school property, a Class 2 felony, according to Hamilton County Circuit Court records.
Blackburn was selling cannabis June 19 in a trailer located less than 400 feet from East Side School, State’s Attorney Justin Hood said in a court document. The defendant was in possession of three bags containing various amounts of cannabis, totaling not more than 500 grams, court documents indicated.
“Earlier in the evening, a confidential informant bought 28 grams of cannabis with authorized funds,” Hood said in the court document. “The money used was recovered during a search warrant at 403 E. St. Charles St. in McLeansboro.”
McLeansboro police had surveillance on the home before, during and after the drug buy was made, Hood said.
Blackburn and Lamanda N. Royse, 27, recently of Dale and formerly of the East St. Charles Avenue address, were arrested around 8:30 p.m. June 19 at their residence.
In November, Royse also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis while on school property. She was sentenced to 24 months’ probation, fined $200 and ordered to pay a $150 street value fine, a $1,000 drug assessment fee plus court costs.
In addition to the prison sentence, Judge David Frankland fined Blackburn $250 and ordered him to pay a $1,000 drug assessment fee.
As part of Blackburn’s plea agreement, charges of unlawful delivery of cannabis while on school property, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, theft and battery were dismissed.
Blackburn is in custody at Menard Correctional Center, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections Web site. His projected parole date is July 26, 2012.
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