BENTON, Ill. — As Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard predicted, a 33-year-old Mt. Vernon man arrested last month has been indicted on federal drug charges.

Vernon Rollins was arrested last month on an outstanding Jefferson County warrant stemming from an ongoing investigation by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office/Mt. Vernon Police Department Narcotics Unit.

Rollins was charged in Jefferson County Court with Class X felony delivery of between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine.

At the time, Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun said the controlled buys took place in April of 2018. Bail on the state charge was set at $150,000.

Rollins was subsequently arrested at the Jefferson County Jail by U.S. Marshals on a federal warrant stemming from the same controlled buys made in 2018.

The federal indictment charges Rollins with two counts distribution of a controlled substance, accusing him of selling an ounce of 97% pure methamphetamine “ice” to a confidential source for $800 on one occasion and 27-grams of 95% pure “ice” on a second occasion to the same source, also for $800.

According to federal court documents, agents with the DEA and Mt. Vernon police officers used hidden video equipment to record the confidential source making the purchases and provided that person with the cash to make the purchases.

Both purchases were reportedly arranged through social media messaging and text messaging and took place at Rollins’ residence in the 2000 block of College Street in Mt. Vernon.

An affidavit from a DEA agent on the case stated that Rollins had previously pleaded guilty in federal court in 2009 to three counts distributing crack cocaine.

His 10-year prison sentence was eventually reduced to 9-years following a change in federal sentencing guidelines but his 3-year federal probation remained intact.

Bullard had earlier called Rollins a dangerous repeat offender and says the community is safer with him off the streets, and predicted federal charges would be filed..