WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS -- Rural communities have become the target of methamphetamine manufacturing rings, because operations are easier to hide.
Local law enforcement from McDonough, Fulton, and Schuyler counties are working together with federal officials on "Operation Saddle Up," to combat the problem.
Tuesday, June 19th the McDonough County Sheriff's Department hosted a press conference to announce new successes in the program and rehash its record.
Since the operation started in early 2011, 50 individuals involved in methamphetamine manufacturing rings have been indicted by a federal grand jury, and nine new arrests for meth manufacturing conspiracy were made recently.
"We're making a dent. I hesitate to say it's a huge dent, because there is a huge problem out there," Sheriff Jeff Standard from Fulton County explained.
All 50 of those indictments were in Fulton County.
"It's very rural and they've have plenty of places to do their anhydrous thefts in the past. Now they're doing these one-pot cooks and it's just easy access for them. When you only have a few deputies on the road at a time you have to concentrate on where you're going to put them," Standard said.
With Operation Saddle Up, police can share information from county to county to track manufacturing rings, and then charge them with federal drug charges that carry a much stricter punishment than state charges.
"With federal laws they're facing up to ten years just on a first offense. With a prior drug conviction, they're looking at up to 20 years. If they have two prior drug convictions, they're looking at life in prison. With a federal sentence, they serve most of that time, 85% of their sentence," said Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn Knauss.
Longer sentences and the federal court systems will keep those responsible for meth rings in prison longer, but McDonough County Sheriff Rick VanBrooker believes it will also serve as a deterrent.
"The information from the streets is that they're avoiding us..and that's what I want," VanBrooker said.