Man pleads guilty to meth conspiracy

Donnie Williams, 49, of Scott County pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. He appeared before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber in Cape Girardeau.

Williams faces up to 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine and four years of supervised release. Sentencing was set for Sept. 29.

In his plea, Williams admitted that beginning in February through March 5, he and John A. Chadd agreed to get the ingredients to make methamphetamine. In addition, the men made the drug and experimented with different methods.

On March 5, the men were stopped by law enforcement on Interstate 55 in Williams' pickup truck. Officers found numerous items associated with the making of the illicit drug inside the truck, including recipes for meth. Later, a search of Williams' hotel room in Sikeston turned up more ingredients.

Chadd is scheduled for trial in late July.