United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BENTON, IL. - Stephen R. Wigginton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that on April 22, 2011, a Centralia, Illinois, man, convicted of various crack cocaine charges, was sentenced to 180 (15 years), in federal prison.

Frederick L. Webster, 49, of Centralia, Illinois, previously pleaded guilty to a four-count Superceding Indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in East. St. Louis, Illinois. Count 1 charged that on December 9, 2009, Webster distributed crack cocaine. Count 2 charged that on December 17, 2009, Webster distributed crack cocaine. Count 3 charged that on February 23, 2010, Webster possessed with intent to distribute more than (5) grams of crack cocaine. Count 4 charged that on February 22-23, 2010, Webster possessed with intent to distribute more than (50) grams of crack cocaine.

The investigation was conducted by the Centralia Police Department, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, the Joint Narcotics Unit of the Mt. Vernon Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Illinois State Police, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion County State’s Attorney’s Office, the United States Secret Service, the United States Marshal Service, and other law enforcement agencies pursuant to their participation in the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a joint and cooperative effort of the United States Attorney’s Office, and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies directed at removing guns and drugs from our communities.