Stoker federally indicted on meth conspiracy
A federal methamphetamine indictment has now been added to Jason M. Stoker's list of legal problems.
Stoker - who is scheduled to go on trial on July 10 in alleged connection to the death of Chester Police officer and volunteer firefighter James Brockmeyer - was indicted June 6, as announced by Donald Boyce, U.S. attorney with the Southern District of Illinois.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant and Stoker has been charged with one count charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of meth.
The indictment alleges that the offense occurred in Randolph County between June 2016 and October 31, 2016, three days after Brockmeyer's fatal accident on Palestine Road north of the Gravel Creek Bridge on Chester's north side.
Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker, whose office assisted in the federal investigation, said the indictment "injects something new into the equation," but also declined to discuss details.
"I don't want to comment anything as it relates to the federal case at all, they're very sensitive about that," he said.
In previous Randolph County court testimony, it was established that on the night of the accident, Brockmeyer and other members of city and county law enforcement were attempting to pull Stoker over on suspicion of no valid driver's license and his "possible" involvement in meth possession and distribution.
If convicted on the meth charge, Stoker could be sentenced to a range of five to 40 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. The investigation in this case was conducted by the sheriff offices of Randolph and Jackson counties, the Chester Police Department, Illinois State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Marshals Service.
It was deputies from the U.S. Marshals who arrested Stoker on Nov. 1 in St. Louis.
"They are separate and distinct offenses," Walker said of the difference between the state and federal cases. "However, I can't say there won't be any interplay between the cases."
In the Brockmeyer case, the 34-year-old Stoker, of Chester, is charged with two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and one count each of reckless homicide and first-degree murder.
He is scheduled for a case management conference in that case on June 28 at 10 a.m. in front of Circuit Court Judge Richard A. Brown.
"From our standpoint, we're still ready to go on trial on July 10 on our charges," Walker said, adding that it would be hard to argue against a motion from the defense for a continuance in the case given recent developments. "We will wait and see."