TWO TEXAS MEN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR BURGLARIZING PHARMACIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, MISSOURI

Two Houston Texas men, 32-year-old McKindley V. Allen and 28-year-old DaLeon J. Fontennet, were sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for burglarizing pharmacies in Southern Illinois and Missouri to steal controlled substances. Both pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit burglary and attempted burglary involving controlled substances. Their actions were condemned by U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe, who emphasized the harm caused to rural communities. The DEA noted a rise in such burglaries at independent pharmacies, highlighting the ongoing commitment to combat these crimes.  According to court documents, Allen and Fontennet unlawfully entered a pharmacy in Casey with intent to steal controlled substances in December 2023 by using a Sawzall to cut through the exterior wall. In January, the pair burglarized a pharmacy in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and took more than 16,000 pills. Fontennet admitted to also burglarizing a pharmacy in Murphysboro, Illinois.