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Lawrence County Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Meth and Firearm Offenses

David Royse, 47, of Sumner, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for methamphetamine distribution and firearm possession.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 28, 2026, 6:08 p.m. ET
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A federal judge in Benton, Illinois, David Royse, 47, of Sumner, to 210 months in prison on August 28, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois. Royse pleaded guilty to three counts of methamphetamine distribution, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Court documents state that Royse possessed at least 50 grams of meth in February 2023 and sold meth on three occasions in March, May, and October 2025. He also possessed multiple firearms despite a prior felony conviction for methamphetamine production. Royse consented to the forfeiture of the firearms. The sentence will run concurrently with any term imposed in Royse's pending state cases in Lawrence and Richland counties. Following imprisonment, Royse will serve ten years of supervised release and pay a $500 fine. He was arrested in November 2025 and remains in custody. U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said, "Armed drug dealers face a certain future in federal prison. FBI data show 2025 produced the largest year-to-year drop in the violent crime rate since national estimates began in 1936. That is no coincidence. Aggressive enforcement works." The case was investigated by the Bridgeport Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, Richland County Sheriff's Office, Olney Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

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  1. Version 128 Aug 2026, 22:08current

    First published.

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