MARION COUNTY — A 46-year-old Centralia businessman was sentenced today in Marion County Court to 6-years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, after he pleaded guilty to distribution of synthetic drugs.

Kelly W. Alexander, of rural Walnut Hill was scheduled for a two-day bench trial to start Thursday, but instead entered into a plea agreement with the state in which he pleaded guilty to the one Class 2 felony charge and a 6-year sentence in exchange for three other felony charges being dismissed.

Alexander was arrested in May 2013 in connection with three alleged incidents dating back to December 2011, during which Marion County Sheriff’s deputies raided his retail stores in Centralia, and reportedly found 475 packages of synthetic cannabis during the execution of a search warrant. He owned Biggies Tobacco Plus on the west side of Centralia and Biggies Café and General Store on Route 161 at Interstate 57.

He was subsequently charged with two Class X felonies for the manufacture with the intent to distribute more than 200 grams of synthetic drugs, Class 2 felony distribution of a synthetic or misbranded drug and Class 3 felony possession of a non-narcotic controlled substance.

In addition to his prison sentence, Alexander will have to serve 2-years mandatory supervised release and pay nearly $3,000 in court costs.

His sentence was stayed until June 6, at which time he is to report to the Marion County Jail for transport to the Department of Corrections. Until that time his passport and $25,000 cash bond will remain held by the court. He is due in court May 18 for a pre-trial hearing in a criminal misdemeanor case in which the Illinois Department of Public Health alleges he failed to remove lead based paint from a rental property he owns in Centralia.

Per the plea agreement, an investigation being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s office into Alexander’s involvement in synthetic drug distribution was dropped and the federal government will not pursue a criminal indictment against him.