DRUG CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST MATTOON WOMAN

CHARLESTON - A judge dismissed drug charges that could have brought a
Mattoon woman up to 40 years in prison after deciding there was
nothing to indicate she was involved in a methamphetamine conspiracy.

Lisa A. Dufrain, 37, 417 N. 20th St., had been accused of obtaining
cold medicine with pseudoephedrine to use to make methamphetamine
between December 2007 and April of last year.

In reviewing the prosecution's evidence, Circuit Judge Mitchell Shick
concluded that no one was able to say that Dufrain knew that the cold
medicine she obtained was going to be used for drug manufacturing.
That meant it wasn't certain that she obtained the medicine with the
criminal intent needed to be proven guilty, Shick decided.

Dufrain was charged with participation in methamphetamine
manufacturing and possession of a methamphetamine precursor. Had she
been convicted, the manufacturing charge would have required a prison
sentence of nine to 40 years plus a fine of up to $200,000 or equal to
the street value of the drugs involved.