Joshua A. Pearce, a/k/a “Josh,” and “Junior,” 32, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, has been sentenced to 168 months imprisonment for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced. Pearce previously pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The indictment alleged that the offense occurred between 2017 and September 2018, in Williamson and Jefferson Counties. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that Pearce was involved with others in the unlawful distribution of ice. Ice is methamphetamine, which has a purity level of at least 80%. Pearce routinely transported dealer amounts of ice from Mt. Vernon to Herrin for distribution. At sentencing, the district court found that Pearce was responsible for the distribution of 1.7 kilograms of ice.
The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The Mt. Vernon Police Department and Herrin Police Department assisted in the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.