Murphysboro Man Gets 19.5 Years for Meth Conspiracy

Kyle E. Easterly, 30, of Murphysboro, Illinois, is headed to federal prison for nearly two decades after being sentenced to 235 months for his role in a sprawling methamphetamine operation that poisoned Jackson and Perry Counties. On January 18, 2017, Easterly was handed a brutal sentence for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute meth — including high-grade ‘ice’ — and possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to cook the deadly drug.

After pleading guilty to a second superseding indictment, Easterly was found responsible for the distribution of 1,134 grams of ice — methamphetamine with at least 80% purity — and possession of 48 grams of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in illicit drug manufacturing. The Southern District of Illinois U.S. Attorney, Donald S. Boyce, confirmed the sentencing, which also includes 3 years of supervised release and a $700.00 fine.

The case paints a grim picture of organized drug activity across Southern Illinois. Evidence laid bare during plea and sentencing hearings revealed Easterly operated within a network of co-conspirators who cooked and distributed meth across county lines. Ice, a more potent and dangerous form of meth, fuels addiction and violence — and Easterly helped flood local streets with it.

Because of Easterly’s violent criminal past — two prior felony convictions for domestic battery — federal prosecutors successfully argued for a Career Offender designation, drastically increasing his sentence. The classification reflects not just the severity of the current charges, but a pattern of dangerous behavior that the justice system can no longer overlook.

He’s not the only one facing consequences. Co-defendant Charles W. Yearian was sentenced to 144 months in the same scheme. Four others have already pled guilty and await sentencing, while one defendant has pled not guilty and is set for a jury trial on February 27, 2017. The web of accountability continues to tighten.

The investigation, ongoing and highly coordinated, is being led by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphysboro Police Department. Critical support came from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), DuQuoin Police Department, and the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office — a multi-agency push to dismantle drug networks rooted in Southern Illinois.