BENTON — Two men with ties to Franklin County were charged separately in federal court with crystal methamphetamine offenses, James L. Porter, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced Tuesday.

Rodney G. Hebbeler, 56, of Thompsonville, and Steven M. Burns, 37, of Marion, and formerly of West Frankfort, were charged with distributing crystal methamphetamine. The offenses are alleged to have occurred in Franklin and Williamson Counties over the last year.

Hebbeler was charged with 6 counts of distributing methamphetamine in Franklin County, and Burns was charged with 2 counts of distributing methamphetamine in Williamson and Franklin Counties.

Each count carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, a $1 million fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release after release from prison. Both Burns and Hebbeler have been ordered held without bond pending trial.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, the Illinois State Police, the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, the Carmi Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas E. Leggans.