EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- A former Illinois probation officer will serve five years on federal drug charges, unless the cocaine he sold killed a state judge, authorities say.
U.S. District Judge Michael J. Reagan held out the threat of more prison time in sentencing James K. Fogarty, a former St. Clair County probation officer, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Thursday.
Fogarty received the conditional sentence after pleading guilty to intent to distribute cocaine and being a drug user in possession of a firearm. He told officials he regularly sold cocaine to Associate Judge Joseph Christ and Circuit Judge Michael N. Cook, and sometimes used the drug with them.
Christ died March 10 at Cook's hunting lodge near Pleasant Hill, Ill., of a fatal dose of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton said investigators are still attempting to determine if the drugs that killed the judge were sold by Fogarty.
Cook was arrested in May outside the home of Sean McGilvery, his friend and alleged heroin dealer. Cook pleaded guilty to drug-related charges Wednesday and is scheduled to be sentenced Friday.
McGilvery pleaded guilt to federal drug conspiracy charges last month.
