Five drug dealers active in Fayette, Jefferson and Marion counties were sentenced to federal prison for distributing cocaine, meth or fentanyl in southern Illinois.
The U.S. attorney's office reports 46-year-old Marvelous Bennett from Mt. Vernon pleaded guilty to 16 counts of distribution of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to over 13 years for selling cocaine through the Centralia, Vandalia and Mount Vernon areas in 2023 and 2024.
53-year-old Jason Barnes of Odin pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of meth and one count of possession with intent to distribute meth. He was sentenced to more than 17 years for selling meth on multiple occasions in 2019 and 2020.
37-year-old David Barnes of Centralia pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced to six years for distributing a half ounce of cocaine during a controlled buy in February 2023.
61-year-old Kenneth Thornton of Centralia pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl. He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years for selling more than a gram of fentanyl in December 2023.
40-year-old Karie Holstlaw of Salem pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of meth. She was sentenced to just under five years for selling eight grams during a controlled buy in November 2022.
