EAST ST. LOUIS — An investigation by the FBI Springfield Field Office Southern Illinois Transnational Organized Crime West Task Force has resulted in the arrests of eight people in our listening area.
Based in Carlyle, the task force focuses on large-scale drug conspiracies involving drug trafficking organizations operating throughout Southern Illinois and Mexico.
On February 3rd of this year, the FBI along with the Centralia Police Department investigated 53-year-old Jackie Scanlan, and others for the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Room #151 of the Centralia Motel in Centralia.
According to court documents, surveillance of Room #151 resulted in a search warrant being executed and police reportedly discovering Scanlan was carrying 79 grams of meth and 24 fentanyl capsules.
Drugs were also reportedly found in Scanlan’s hotel room and vehicle. Then on March 4, a confidential source informed Centralia police that Scanlan would be traveling to St. Louis to purchase meth and fentanyl.
Agents followed a minivan with Scanlan as a passenger to one location in St. Louis, Missouri where three other passengers were picked up and alleged meth and fentanyl at another location in the city.
After dropping off the other three passengers in St. Louis, Scanlan and the driver returned to Illinois where law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the minivan in New Baden. The driver reportedly fled on foot, but Scanlan remained in the vehicle where law enforcement reportedly discovered more than 250 grams of meth and nearly 6 grams of fentanyl capsule.
He was ultimately arrested on federal charges of two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Also arrested as part of the operation were 50-year-old Sherry Dent of Germantown on five counts of possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl; 65-year-old Dennis Conway of Vandalia on two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth and fentanyl; and 39-year-old Karie Holstlaw, also of Centralia on one count of distribution of meth; 58-year-old Mark Hills of Salem on two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth; 31-year-old Denzel McChristian, formerly of Centralia on one count of distribution of meth; 50-year-old Matthew Campbell of Keyesport on two counts of distribution of meth; and 36-year-old Jeffrey Steinkamp of Vandalia on two counts of distribution of meth.
The investigation and arrests were the results of joint efforts with the FBI St. Louis, the Mt. Vernon, Carlyle, Centralia, and Germantown Police Departments, the Marion, Jefferson, Fayette, Clinton, and Bond County Sheriff’s Departments, and the US Attorney’s Office-Southern District of Illinois.
All eight defendants are being tried in the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.