Illinois Sheriff Predicts Pot Will Be Legalized FOX2 / Charles Jaco / 10,5,2010 BELLEVILLE, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - The sheriff of St. Clair County tells FOX 2 he believes the time has come to de-criminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Mearl Justus, sheriff in the Illinois County for three decades, says he doesn't think some legalization is a bad idea. This story started out as a piece about a st. Clair county sheriff's department auction of seized property set for tomorrow. According to sheriff mearkl justus...the most common drug resulting in property seizures...is marijuana. But after thirty years as sheriff in St. Clair County, Sheriff Justus has reached a conclusion. Please go to the title link for the video.