Union County Drug Kingpin Rusty Smith Sentenced to Over a Decade in Prison

CRIMINAL COURT, COBDEN, IL — Rusty J. Smith, a 36-year-old resident of Cobden, IL, was today handed down a sentence of over a decade for his involvement in a methamphetamine manufacturing conspiracy that shook Union County.

In a scathing verdict delivered by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, Smith was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 fine.

The crime spree, which took place between 2012 and March 2014 across Union, Williamson, and Jackson Counties, saw Smith collaborate with Ruth Diane Wiseman, Jonathan E. Merydith, and other co-defendants in the illegal production of the drug. At the sentencing hearing, it was revealed that Smith was responsible for the possession of more than 290 grams of pseudoephedrine.

Wiseman and Merydith have already been sentenced to prison terms of 18 months and 60 months respectively, while Shannon Connett awaits his fate after pleading guilty. The judicial district has not minced words in its assessment of Smith’s guilt.

The relentless investigation into this methamphetamine ring was a joint effort by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Carbondale Police Department, Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Tennessee’s 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force also played a pivotal role in bringing Smith to justice.

Amanda A. Robertson, Assistant United States Attorney, was assigned to the case, ensuring that justice would be served for the community beleaguered by the methamphetamine epidemic. The sentencing of Rusty J. Smith marks another significant victory in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking.