EDWARDSVILLE - An Alton woman was sentenced this afternoon to 10 years in prison for running a heroin drug ring out of her South Roxana home in January 2015.
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Chelsea L. Schollmeier (d.o.b. 12/15/90) pleaded guilty on October 5, 2015, to one count of Unlawful Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance While Located Within 1,000 Feet of Public Housing. She and co-defendant Kenneth L. Rice (d.o.b. 01/09/94) were accused of possession and selling heroin out of their apartment in the 700 block of Connor Drive.
They were originally charged on April 28, 2015, following an investigation by South Roxana police officers that included a controlled buy with a confidential informant. A subsequent search warrant led to the discovery of 20 buttons of heroin and a ledger showing sales of heroin. Prosecutors presented evidence at today’s sentencing hearing indicating that Schollmeier would sometimes earn up to $1,000 per week by selling around 200 buttons of heroin.
Also charged in the bust were four other individuals who were employed by Schollmeier in various capacities including driving to St. Louis to purchase the heroin and selling it for her in Madison County. She would often pay them in heroin. Those individuals all pleaded guilty to felonies in 2015. Serena F. Jeffers (d.o.b. 6/14/74) was sentenced to six years in prison for Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance; her spouse, William A. Jeffers (d.o.b. 10/18/74) was also sentenced to six years in prison after pleading to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance While Located Within 1,000 Feet of Public Housing. Allora K. Stratton (d.o.b. 5/11/90) was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading to Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. Joshua E. Coons (d.o.b. 8/10/78) was placed on 30 months’ probation after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance While Located Within 1,000 Feet of Public Housing.
State's Attorney Tom Gibbons praised the work of his prosecutor and the South Roxana Police Department for their investigation into this case which followed a tip by residents who had noticed a large amount of traffic at the residence. “Through the diligence of South Roxana residents and their police department, my office was able to remove a heroin dealer from our community where she will be unable to continue preying on people,” said State's Attorney Gibbons. “Heroin continues to be a blight here and across our entire nation, and we must continue working to protect our community by ensuring that dealers are punished severely for pushing this poison.”
Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Sweet prosecuted the case for the State's Attorney's Office. Schollmeier will have to serve at least 75 percent of her sentence that was handed down by Circuit Judge Richard Tognarelli.
The case against Rice, who remains in custody at the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville on a $250,000 bond, remains pending. These charges, as well as the statements made herein, are based upon probable cause. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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