MT. VERNON, IL — A 36-year-old Mississippi man was sentenced Tuesday in Jefferson County Court to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one of two Class X felony drug charges against him. Corey Frierson was arrested in July 2020 in connection with an Illinois State Police investigation into drug trafficking.

Frierson was subsequently charged with Class X felony trafficking of a controlled substance and possession with the intent to distribute more than 900 grams of fentanyl and his bail was set at $500,000.

He was the second person in one week from Mississippi to be arrested and charged in Jefferson County Court with drug trafficking charges. Brandi Tate was charged before Frierson with Class X felony controlled substance trafficking and Class X felony manufacture with the intent to distribute more than 900 grams of fentanyl.

Tate posted bond a few days after her arrest and is next scheduled to appear in Jefferson County Court on the charges February 17.