MT. VERNON, IL — Attorneys have confirmed a jury trial setting later this month for a 32-year-old Mt. Vernon man charged in Jefferson County Court with drug and weapons charges following the execution of a search warrant on his home by the High Risk Team. Demario D. Bell is facing three Class X felony charges – two for being an armed habitual criminal and one for delivery of between 15 and 100 grams of cocaine.

Bell was arrested in November after the Mt Vernon Police Department / Jefferson County Joint Narcotics Unit developed information indicating illegal narcotics were being sold from a residence at 1013 South 7th in Mt Vernon. Detectives applied for and received a Jefferson County search warrant for the residence. During the search of the home, narcotics detectives reportedly located approximately 38 grams of crack cocaine, a loaded handgun and narcotics packaging materials. The handgun was determined to be stolen from Centralia.

A jury trial is scheduled to begin March 22, with a final pre-trial hearing in the case scheduled for March 15.