Published: November 06, 2008 09:07 am      

Area men sentenced on meth-related charges

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — Two Mt. Vernon men received state prison sentences after pleading guilty to tampering with equipment at a rural Hamilton County business in an effort to steal a substance used to produce methamphetamine.

Kenneth L. Badgett, 45, and Allen R. Dennis, 42, each pleaded guilty to a charge of procurement of anhydrous ammonia with intent it be used to manufacture meth, a Class 1 felony, according to Hamilton County Circuit Court records.

Judge Leo Desmond sentenced both Badgett and Dennis to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with two years of mandatory supervised release.

Badgett and Dennis were convicted of tampering with anhydrous ammonia equipment at Belle Prairie FS Wabash Valley Service Co., Illinois Route 242, Dahlgren, with intent to steal anhydrous ammonia and use it to manufacture meth, court records indicated. They were arrested around 4 a.m. May 20.

Dennis’ prison sentence was stayed until Nov. 6, and he has been under electronic home confinement at his mother’s residence in Mt. Vernon since the sentencing, according to court documents.

As part of the plea agreements, Class 3 felony charges of tampering with anhydrous ammonia equipment and unlawful possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unauthorized container against each defendant were dismissed.

Badgett and Dennis are the second and third Mt. Vernon men sentenced to prison this year in Hamilton County for targeting the Belle Prairie FS business.

Robert A. Tate, 24, of Mt. Vernon received a 10-year prison sentence in June after entering guilty pleas to charges of procurement of anhydrous ammonia with intent it be used to manufacture meth and unlawful tampering with anhydrous ammonia equipment.

Tate pleaded guilty to the procurement charge in connection with an incident May 9 at Belle Prairie FS. He also pleaded guilty to a 2006 charge of tampering with anhydrous ammonia equipment on Nov. 26, 2005, at Hamson’s Ag Service, Dahlgren, court records stated.

Judge Barry Vaughan sentenced Tate to seven years in the Department of Corrections on the procurement charge and three years on the tampering charge.