Mascoutah man charged with dealing cocaine near high school, church

A Mascoutah man dealt cocaine near Mascoutah High School and a Belleville church, according to charges filed Wednesday.

George L. French, 39, was charged with six felonies, all for allegedly dealing or possessing drugs. French was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of drugs within 1,000 feet of the school. An officer with the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois said French dealt cocaine to a man near there on Nov. 1.

French was also charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of drugs within 1,000 feet of a place of worship, unlawful possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine and unlawful possession of 100-500 grams of cannabis.

The place of worship was Conqueror’s Christian Center in Belleville. French allegedly dealt cocaine near there Nov. 6.

French was booked into the St. Clair County Jail on Monday. He was still in custody as of Wednesday evening on $175,000 bail. However, his jail booking profile says he cannot be released on bail because he has a hold order.

French was sentenced to one year of court supervision in 2011 for cannabis possession and was convicted for two other cannabis possession charges in 2011.

This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 6:52 PM with the headline "Mascoutah man charged with dealing cocaine near high school, church."