Springfield, Ill. – Rodger A. Heaton, United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging two Quincy, Illinois men with attempting to manufacture methamphetamine. Banner R. Keith, age 46, and Kevin D. Griffith, age 36, both of Quincy, are both charged with attempting to manufacture methamphetamine on or about November 11, 2006.

Both defendants are currently in state custody. If convicted, the offense has a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000. If a defendant has a prior felony drug conviction, the penalty is a mandatory minimum 10 years imprisonment to life and a fine of $4,000,000.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Central Illinois Task Force, Illinois State Police, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.