BENTON, Ill. — Five people, including a 37-year-old Salem man, have been sentenced to prison after they confessed in federal court to operating a large-scale meth ring in Southern Illinois.

Michael Huffman, of Salem, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty in October to one count of distributing methamphetamine, one count of attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

The case involved more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine distributed in the Southern District of Illinois.

Others convicted in the conspiracy include 42-year-old Robert Smith, of Los Angeles, California, who was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison; 39-year-old William Moore, of East St. Louis, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison; 36-year-old Stacey Barkley, 36 of Caseyville, who was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison; and 54-year-old Michael Greene of St. Louis, who was sentenced to just over two years in prison.

According to court documents, DEA agents investigated the defendants for distributing methamphetamine in St. Clair County from February to October 2019.

In court proceedings, Smith was held responsible for supplying more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine from California in the drug operation led by Moore. In furtherance of the financial crime conspiracy, Moore laundered drug proceeds for Smith to facilitate the trafficking operation.