Five plead guilty to distributing meth in St. Clair County

Five people have been sentenced to a combined 74 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to 13 counts of of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distributing methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to launder money.

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According to documents filed with the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Michael Greene, 54, of St. Louis, Robert Smith, 42, of Los Angeles, California, William Moore, 39, of East St. Louis, Michael Huffman, 37, of Salem, and Stacey Barkley, 36 of Caseyville participated in a mass methamphetamine operation in St. Clair county during 2019.

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Smith was the most recent among the group, and the last, to be sentenced.

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On July 10, 2019, Moore and Huffman discussed a drug package that was located at the Red Apple restaurant, court records state. Law enforcement conducted a search and recovered a package containing 6,310 grams of ice meth. Huffman assisted in distribution of the drug to Greene, Moore, Barkley along with help of his supplier, Smith.

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The role of Huffman was confirmed by use of surveillance videos and recorded conversations, charges stated. He admitted that more than 500 grams or more of detectable meth was given to the others named in the case.

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Moore will serve 30 years, Smith will serve 27 years, Huffman will serve 8 years, Barkley will serve 7 1/4 years, and Greene will serve 2 years in federal prison.

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Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) conducted the investigation through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operations (OCDETF). U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe prosecuted the case.