St. Louis — Six Franklin County area residents have been sentenced within the last week on federal methamphetamine charges, acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced on Thursday.

“The cooperative effort of law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office continues to make a difference in the fight against methamphetamine labs,” said Det. Sgt. Jason Grellner, commander of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit. “This case illustrates the lengths that cold pill shoppers will go to feed their addiction and these devastating, toxic labs.”

Those sentenced include a woman who had lived briefly in the Owensville area, said Grellner. Receiving federal prison terms were Franklin Whited, 43, St. Clair (sentenced June 10 to 188 months in prison), Rebecca Whited, 42, St. Clair (sentenced June 10 to 37 months in prison), David Payne, 51, Sullivan, sentenced June 8, to 84 months in prison), Jeffrey Kerbler, 19, St. Clair, sentenced June 9 to 37 months in prison), Heather Maxwell, 30, Owensville, sentenced June 11 to 42 months in prison), and Johnathan Maxwell, 23, St. Clair (sentenced June 11 to 22 month in prison). Five co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing in July and August: Danielle Declue, 21, St. Louis, William Johnson, 35, St. Clair, Tina Johnson, 36, St. Clair, Steven Corio, 44, St. Clair, and Joette Payne, 53, Sullivan.

Possession of pseudoephedrine knowing that it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Reap commended the work on the case by the Franklin County Narcotics Task Force, the St. Louis County and St. Louis City police departments, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannette Graviss, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.