A rural New Boston man facing a Class X felony meth manufacturing charge has posted 10-percent of his $400,000 bond or $40,000. 53 year old Lester Ward was arrested in January of 2020. He appeared in Mercer County Circuit Court for a pre-trial conference Monday morning with the matter continued to March 1. Ward also faces a Class 3 felony of felon in possession of a firearm. He was charged after Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputies, Quad Cities MEG agents and Illinois State Police executed a search warrant at his residence. Ward has also retained a new attorney. Matthew Paulsen is now representing his case.
