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Benton, Ill. – Former Gallatin County Sheriff Raymond M. Martin was sentenced to two life sentences plus ten years Wednesday morning in federal court here.
Martin, 48, of Junction, was convicted of multiple charges relating to drug dealing and witness tampering last Sept. 23.
The life sentences were also imposed consecutively to each other.
The sentence stems from Martin's conviction, following an eight-day jury trial, of all 15 counts alleged against him. Martin, the elected sheriff of Gallatin County at the time of his conviction, was removed from office by the Gallatin County Board following his conviction.
Martin was convicted of three counts of distribution of marijuana (Counts 1-3), one count of conspiring between November 2008 and May 18, 2009, to distribute marijuana (Count 6); two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Counts 4-5); three counts of attempted witness tampering by physical force (Counts 7-9); one count of conspiracy to tamper with witnesses through physical force (Count 10); three counts of attempted witness tampering through threats, intimidation and corrupt persuasion (Counts 11-13); one count of conspiracy to tamper with witnesses through threats, intimidation and corrupt persuasion (Count 14); and one count of attempting to structure financial transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements (Count 15).
Evidence introduced at trial and the sentencing hearing showed that in November 2008, Martin approached two individuals in Gallatin County and asked them to begin selling marijuana for him that he had stolen from the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department evidence room.
The evidence showed that he repeatedly delivered marijuana, both stolen and quantities which he purchased from other sources, to these individuals from November 2008 through May 2009 and did so while on duty, in uniform, armed and driving his county-issued squad car.
One of these individuals testified that Martin threatened him with his duty weapon on two occasions: once when the sheriff believed the individual had revealed Martin's identity as the individual's supplier and once when the individual told Martin he wanted out of their partnership. This prompted that individual to approach law enforcement agents, reveal information regarding his involvement with Martin and begin working as a confidential source. Thereafter, this individual recorded numerous telephone calls and in-person meetings with Martin, including three separate deliveries of marijuana. The sheriff was paid thousands of dollars in marked bills for the marijuana he delivered. These deliveries were captured on video and observed by both aerial and ground surveillance agents. Martin was in uniform, armed and driving his squad car during these deliveries.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Martin following the filing of a criminal complaint, said Stephen R. Wigginton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The sheriff was arrested May 18, 2009 at the courthouse in Shawneetown by agents of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, Illinois State Police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
Federal search warrants were also executed on that date at Martin's home, the sheriff's department and the courthouse, where agents found that Martin had stolen over 30 pounds of marijuana from the evidence room. A safe was found hidden in the basement at his home; it contained $107,387 in cash (mostly $100 bills) and included $2,610 of the marked money he had been paid for deliveries of marijuana to the confidential source.
Martin was ordered held without bond and was placed by the U.S. Marshal in the Jackson County Jail at Murphysboro to await trial. In December 2009, Jackson County Sheriff's Department officials received information from another confidential source that Martin had attempted to hire him to kill two of the main witnesses against him in the drug case while this individual was incarcerated with him in the jail. This individual provided agents with a hand-drawn map Martin drew for him showing the location of the witnesses' homes in Gallatin County. A subsequent investigation confirmed this information, showed Martin's fingerprints on the map and also revealed the existence of another person whom Martin attempted to hire to kill these witnesses. That investigation also revealed that in December 2009, from his jail cell, Martin attempted to structure financial transactions at his bank in Shawneetown to conceal his remaining assets and prevent their seizure by the U.S. Government.
Under federal law, there is no parole, meaning that Martin will not be released from custody.
In addition to the sentences of imprisonment, Martin was ordered to forfeit his home at Junction (valued at over $200,000) and $76,090 in cash to the U.S. He was also ordered to pay the U.S. fines and special assessments totaling $51,500.
The investigation into the drug aspect of the case was led by the Carmi office of the Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the U.S. Attorney's Office with the assistance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service, the Mt. Vernon (Ill.) Police Department and the White County State's Attorney's Office.
Investigation into the witness tampering and financial structuring aspects of the case was led by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office with the assistance of the Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, the IRS/CID, DEA, Jackson and White County state's attorneys offices.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James M. Cutchin (of Carmi) and Michael C. Carr with the assistance of AUSA Michael Thompson on the forfeiture proceedings.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: carmitimes.com
Contact: Contact Us - Carmi, IL - The Carmi Times
Copyright: 2006-2011 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website:U.S. Attorney announces Martin's conviction - Carmi, IL - The Carmi Times
Martin, 48, of Junction, was convicted of multiple charges relating to drug dealing and witness tampering last Sept. 23.
The life sentences were also imposed consecutively to each other.
The sentence stems from Martin's conviction, following an eight-day jury trial, of all 15 counts alleged against him. Martin, the elected sheriff of Gallatin County at the time of his conviction, was removed from office by the Gallatin County Board following his conviction.
Martin was convicted of three counts of distribution of marijuana (Counts 1-3), one count of conspiring between November 2008 and May 18, 2009, to distribute marijuana (Count 6); two counts of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Counts 4-5); three counts of attempted witness tampering by physical force (Counts 7-9); one count of conspiracy to tamper with witnesses through physical force (Count 10); three counts of attempted witness tampering through threats, intimidation and corrupt persuasion (Counts 11-13); one count of conspiracy to tamper with witnesses through threats, intimidation and corrupt persuasion (Count 14); and one count of attempting to structure financial transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements (Count 15).
Evidence introduced at trial and the sentencing hearing showed that in November 2008, Martin approached two individuals in Gallatin County and asked them to begin selling marijuana for him that he had stolen from the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department evidence room.
The evidence showed that he repeatedly delivered marijuana, both stolen and quantities which he purchased from other sources, to these individuals from November 2008 through May 2009 and did so while on duty, in uniform, armed and driving his county-issued squad car.
One of these individuals testified that Martin threatened him with his duty weapon on two occasions: once when the sheriff believed the individual had revealed Martin's identity as the individual's supplier and once when the individual told Martin he wanted out of their partnership. This prompted that individual to approach law enforcement agents, reveal information regarding his involvement with Martin and begin working as a confidential source. Thereafter, this individual recorded numerous telephone calls and in-person meetings with Martin, including three separate deliveries of marijuana. The sheriff was paid thousands of dollars in marked bills for the marijuana he delivered. These deliveries were captured on video and observed by both aerial and ground surveillance agents. Martin was in uniform, armed and driving his squad car during these deliveries.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Martin following the filing of a criminal complaint, said Stephen R. Wigginton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The sheriff was arrested May 18, 2009 at the courthouse in Shawneetown by agents of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, Illinois State Police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
Federal search warrants were also executed on that date at Martin's home, the sheriff's department and the courthouse, where agents found that Martin had stolen over 30 pounds of marijuana from the evidence room. A safe was found hidden in the basement at his home; it contained $107,387 in cash (mostly $100 bills) and included $2,610 of the marked money he had been paid for deliveries of marijuana to the confidential source.
Martin was ordered held without bond and was placed by the U.S. Marshal in the Jackson County Jail at Murphysboro to await trial. In December 2009, Jackson County Sheriff's Department officials received information from another confidential source that Martin had attempted to hire him to kill two of the main witnesses against him in the drug case while this individual was incarcerated with him in the jail. This individual provided agents with a hand-drawn map Martin drew for him showing the location of the witnesses' homes in Gallatin County. A subsequent investigation confirmed this information, showed Martin's fingerprints on the map and also revealed the existence of another person whom Martin attempted to hire to kill these witnesses. That investigation also revealed that in December 2009, from his jail cell, Martin attempted to structure financial transactions at his bank in Shawneetown to conceal his remaining assets and prevent their seizure by the U.S. Government.
Under federal law, there is no parole, meaning that Martin will not be released from custody.
In addition to the sentences of imprisonment, Martin was ordered to forfeit his home at Junction (valued at over $200,000) and $76,090 in cash to the U.S. He was also ordered to pay the U.S. fines and special assessments totaling $51,500.
The investigation into the drug aspect of the case was led by the Carmi office of the Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the U.S. Attorney's Office with the assistance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service, the Mt. Vernon (Ill.) Police Department and the White County State's Attorney's Office.
Investigation into the witness tampering and financial structuring aspects of the case was led by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office with the assistance of the Illinois State Police/Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, the IRS/CID, DEA, Jackson and White County state's attorneys offices.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James M. Cutchin (of Carmi) and Michael C. Carr with the assistance of AUSA Michael Thompson on the forfeiture proceedings.
News Hawk: MedicalNeed 420 MAGAZINE
Source: carmitimes.com
Contact: Contact Us - Carmi, IL - The Carmi Times
Copyright: 2006-2011 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website:U.S. Attorney announces Martin's conviction - Carmi, IL - The Carmi Times
