Stoddard County man pleads guilty to federal drug charge

A Stoddard County man pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Cape Girardeau to conspiring to possess pseudoephedrine.

Gary D. Mann, 30, pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine, knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine, before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey, according to the Federal prosecutor's office.

Autrey set sentencing for April 14 in Cape Girardeau.

At that time, Mann faces a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine, or both, with the court imposing a period of supervised release of not more than three years.

With his plea, Mann reportedly admitted he had an agreement with an individual to provide the pseudoephedrine pills for use in the manufacture of methamphetamine and that he was being paid $50 a box for the pills. Mann had delivered pills to the individual on 21 occasions.

Assisting in the investigation were members of the SEMO Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim J. Willis handled the prosecution for the government.