FRANKLIN CO.—A few weeks after the raid on a popular smoke spot in Benton, indictments have been issued in the case and four have been arrested.
Daniel Schmechel
The Smoke Break at 601 West Main in Benton was shut down on the afternoon of Friday, August 9, while law enforcement officials entered and searched the building after reports of synthetic dope being sold there were made. Benton and West City police departments, as well as Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and Franklin County Sheriff’s Department worked on the investigation. The investigation began a year ago.
Cindy Schmechel
Indicted on counts of Unlawful Delivery and Possession of Controlled Substance/Controlled Substance Analogs were the operators of the shop, Daniel Schmechel, 46, and Cindy Schmechel, 44, both of Mt. Vernon; Dorothy Williams, 62, of Valier; and Erin Williams, 30, also of Mt. Vernon. The indictments issued by a Franklin County grand jury accuse the four of unlawfully delivering and possessing controlled substances or controlled substance analogs for roughly one year, according to a news release issued by Franklin County State’s Attorney Evan Owens.
Dorothy Williams
Synthetics/analogs, such as K2 and bath salts, have been linked to insane activity throughout the U.S. in recent years, including people killing themselves or each other in bizarre ways, and have even hit locally. With each developing synth drug, lawmakers are hard-pressed to make the new formulation illegal, and sometimes, they’re several months behind. Apparently at the Smoke Break, however, the illegal ones allegedly caught up to the shop.
Erin Williams
The Schmechels are out today on a $15,000 bond; they are set for a first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. September 3 in Franklin County.
Dorothy Williams and Erin Williams each posted a $2,000 cash bond; Dorothy Williams has a Sept. 3 1:30 p.m. first appearance also.
Erin Williams, for whom a warrant was issued as reported last week, is set to appear Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m.