By James B. Bartle
A Franklin County man, apprehended following a high speed chase that concluded in Sullivan on Jan. 21, 2009, has pled guilty in United States Eastern District Court to one felony count of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and one felony count of being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm along with one felony count of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.
Jesse Chitwood, 26, St. Clair, pled guilty to the charges this week before Judge Rodney W. Sippel.
According to U.S. Acting District Attorney Michael W. Reap, on Oct. 1, 2008, Franklin County Narcotics Officers received information that Chitwood was manufacturing meth at an abandoned house in Franklin County. The officers also received information that Chitwood was buying meth precursor chemicals at a local store and was a passenger in a brown van.
Deputies, traveling to the abandoned property observed the brown van and conducted a traffic stop, in which Chitwood was found to be a passenger. Chitwood was found to have a loaded semiautomatic pistol in his back pocket and admitted to officers that he bought and paid for the gun with money from meth sales.
Then on Jan. 21, 2009, Chitwood was observed by law enforcement officers manufacturing meth in a culvert pipe in rural Franklin County, near St. Clair. Chitwood fled from the officers in a vehicle in which he drove off and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit traveled several roadways in Franklin County at speeds over 100 mph. Chitwood was finally stopped after authorities deployed roadway spikes near Acid Mine Rd. and the North Service Rd., Sullivan, late that afternoon. Chitwood was then taken into custody without further incident.
Chitwood now faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 17.
Reap commended the work in this case by the Franklin County Narcotics Task Force, Sheriff’s Department and St. Clair Police
Department.