Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:03 PM CDT
Woman pleads guilty in drug conspiracy
By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — A woman who was called the leader of one of a pair of multi-county methamphetamine conspiracies was able to avoid prison time because of her cooperation, her case’s prosecutor said.
Kristina Curtner, 2200 S. 17th St. No. 1B, Mattoon, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a methamphetamine conspiracy charge that accused her of working with several others to obtain cold medicine with pseudoephedrine, a methamphetamine ingredient, and do other work to make the drug from September 2005 to July 2006.
Curtner, who’s 30th birthday was Thursday, received the maximum probation term of four years and several other charges, including some that would have required a prison sentence of at least 10 years, were dismissed.
She was one of several people who were indicted in 2006 by a statewide grand jury, which can bring charges when related criminal activity takes place in more than one county.
That was the case with the drug conspiracies, as the suspects were accused of traveling to several counties and sometimes out of state to get methamphetamine ingredients, namely over-the-counter medicines with pseudoephedrine. Curtner was said to have been the main organizer of one of the conspiracies.
Illinois Assistant Attorney General Matthew Hoppock, who prosecuted the cases, said he was willing to agree to a probation sentence for Curtner because she cooperated with authorities “all along.” In addition, she’s been receiving drug treatment and counseling and her providers have given her good reports, he added.
“She’s done more than what’s been asked of her,” Hoppock said.
Probation terms for Curtner that were part of her plea agreement included payment of $17,000 in fines, most of which was to represent the street value of the drugs in her case. A six-month jail term was stayed, meaning Curtner won’t have to serve it now but it could be imposed later if she violates any of her probation terms.
Circuit Judge Gary Jacobs accepted the plea agreement in Curtner’s case, which Hoppock and defense attorney Bob Dunst recommended.
The indictments alleged the suspects worked together to obtain drug ingredients in Coles, Champaign and Macon counties, though documents in the cases indicate some of suspects also went to other parts of Illinois as well as out of state to get the materials. The two groups weren’t directly related, but some suspects charged did participate in both, according to authorities.
Authorities say the other group was led by Jody Gaines of Mattoon, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence after pleading guilty. Part of the alleged activity of that group included a fire at a rural Lerna location that injured another of the suspects.
Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 348-5733.
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racerchick wrote on Mar 20, 2008 11:15 PM: