CENTRALIA, IL — A 52-year-old Centralia man that was arrested last week in a joint local and federal operation has been indicted in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois on counts accusing him of distributing crack cocaine and drug trafficking.

Count One alleges that on or about February 11, 2021, Charles McGee possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a cocaine based mixture, while County 2 says that on the same date McGee possessed a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Federal investigator says the FBI Drug Task Force initiated an investigation in March 2020 into the distribution of narcotics in the Centralia area. Through the use of confidential buyers, the Task Force orchestrated the purchase on multiple occasions of crack cocaine from McGee at his Locust Street home in Centralia.

On February 11, the FBI, along with Centralia and Carlyle police, and the Marion and Clinton county sheriff’s departments, raided McGee’s home where he was reportedly found asleep in bed. Law enforcement reportedly located approximately 56 grams of crack cocaine within two plastic baggies in the home.  Additionally, in the drawer of a nightstand next to McGee’s bed, law enforcement allegedly located a loaded pistol and mail addressed to McGee. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Centralia Police Department for questioning; where he reportedly admitted the crack cocaine and pistol belonged to him. He said he purchased the pistol off the street after someone tried to break into his home.

While police reports confirm an attempted burglary to his home was reported in September 2020, as a felon McGee cannot legally possess a firearm. He allegedly admitted to officers that he sells crack cocaine but denied selling any other type of illegal substance. Court records show McGee told officers he began selling crack cocaine from the home in 2018 and estimated he sold an eight ball each week since.

A court hearing in the matter has not yet been scheduled and two other men arrested at a different address that same morning, 66-year-old Calvin McGee and 59-year-old Fredrick Webster have not yet been charged in court.