Luke Burnett, White County mug

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---A White County man was sentenced on February 6, 2015, to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Luke L. Burnett, 31, of Crossville, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, three years’ supervised release following his imprisonment, and fined $200. Burnett had previously pleaded guilty to one count in a federal indictment. Count 1 charged that on March 7, 2014, in White County, Burnett did knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the White County Sheriff’s Department with the assistance of the Illinois State Police and the Indiana State Police.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

Henry J. Dietz

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---Henry J. Dietz, 54, of Edgewood, was indicted on February 3, 2015, on methamphetamine related charges in a two count Indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Count 1 charges that from January 2010, until on or about August 25, 2014, in Clay County, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Illinois, Dietz conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to manufacture 50 or more grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Count 2 charges that on August 25, 2014, in Clay County, Dietz possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which can be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.

With respect to Count 1, Dietz faces 5-40 years in prison, up to $2,000,000 fine, supervised release of at least 4 years, and a $100 special assessment.

With respect to Count 2, Dietz faces up to 10 years in prison, up to $250,000 fine, supervised release of up to 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Flora Police Department, the   Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT, ILLINOIS---Jesse L. Benefield, 27, of Claremont, and Sherry K. Auteberry, 49, of Olney, were indicted on February 3, 2015, on methamphetamine related charges in a two count Indictment returned by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Count 1 charges that from May 2014, until on or about January 26, 2015, in Richland County, and elsewhere within the Southern District of Illinois, Benefield and Auteberry conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury to manufacture methamphetamine.

Count 2 charges that from November 2, 2008, to on or about January 23, 2015, in Richland County, Auteberry possessed pseudoephedrine pills, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that the pills would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.

With respect to Count 1, Benefield and Auteberry each face up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and supervised release of at least 3 years.

With respect to Count 2, Auteberry faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and supervised release of up to 3 years.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

Gary Richard Walters

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---A White County man was sentenced on February 10, 2015, to federal prison on child pornography charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

“Keeping predators away from children remains my highest priority.” noted United States Attorney Wigginton. “Some folks just need to be taken out of our society for such heinous acts.”

Gary Richard Walters, 39, of Norris City, was sentenced to 300 months in prison and 7 years of supervised release. Walters had previously pleaded guilty to a one count Indictment which charged Production of Child Pornography, in that on July 6, 2013, in White County, Walters did knowingly entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of Walters producing a video of such conduct.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

Things were going along swimmingly and then WHAM....the federal court system decided to send everyone up at the SAME TIME. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the coverage, for the Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Nightly NewsCap!

Topics covered include: Effingham County dispatches of of their drug-induced homicide perps; Ridgway man is sentenced by the feds for growing pot in Gallatin County; two Clay County men are indicted by the feds on meth-related charges; two Richland County people are busted by the feds on meth-related charges; two White County men are sent to federal prison, one for meth, one for child porn; and this month's issue is on stands, don't forget to check out the e-Edition as we have e-Edition X-tras this issue!

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---A Jefferson County man was sentenced on February 6, 2015, to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced yesterday.

Kenneth L. Badgett, 52, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and fined $300. Badgett had previously pleaded guilty to three counts in a federal indictment. Count 1 charged that from February 2014, until on or about March 23, 2014, in Jefferson County, Badgett conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to knowingly and intentionally manufacture methamphetamine. Count 2 charged that on March 23, 2014, in Jefferson County, Badgett possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which may be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Count 3 charged that on January 28, 2013, in Jefferson County, Badgett knowingly and intentionally distributed methamphetamine.

Co-defendant Larry York, 47, of Mt. Vernon, was previously sentenced in this case to 180 months.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Joint Narcotics Unit of the Mt. Vernon Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

NOT the burglar in question...just a representation from a stock photo

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ill.---Lawrenceville authorities are asking for the public's help in information leading to the apprehension of a burglar that's been hitting several locations in the city, one reportedly in broad daylight.

Lawrenceville Police Chief Jim White says that the man they're looking for is about 5'10" with a husky build, was noted wearing a hooded sweatshirt and was possibly wearing a tool belt.

Here's Ang with a considerably-shorter but still newsy Nightly NewsCap for the evening of Thursday, February 12, 2015!

Topics covered include: Jefferson County man sentenced in federal meth case; Lawrenceville authorities are alerting the public to a series of burglaries going on in the city; a Ridgway man is the victim in a fatal Posey County, Indiana, wreck yesterday.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---A Clay County man was sentenced today to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Jason L. Shadle, 40, of Flora, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years’ supervised release, and fined $200.  Shadle had previously pleaded guilty to four counts in a federal indictment.

Count 1 charged that from January 2011, until on or about April 8, 2014, in Clay County, Shadle conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury to manufacture more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Count 2 charged that on May 3, 2012, in White County, Shadle possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which may be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Count 3 charged that on April 7, 2014, in Crawford County, Shadle possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which may be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Count 4 charged that from January 2010, to on or about March 25, 2014, in Clay County, and elsewhere, Shadle possessed pseudoephedrine pills, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that the pills would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Flora Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---A Jefferson County man was sentenced today to federal prison on methamphetamine charges, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Monty D. Hamson, 49, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and fined $500. Hamson had previously pleaded guilty to two counts in a federal indictment.

Count 1 charged that from May 2010, until on or about February 19, 2014, in Jefferson County, Hamson conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury to manufacture methamphetamine. Count 2 charged that on February 19, 2014, in Jefferson County, Hamson possessed equipment, chemicals, products, or materials which may be used to manufacture methamphetamine, knowing, intending, and having reasonable cause to believe, that those items would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the  Joint Narcotics Unit of the Mt. Vernon Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.

Yep, it's another busy day, so here's Ang, sans ice cream, to bring you Friday's Nightly NewsCap, February 13, 2015!

Topics covered include: Families of Pravin Varughese and Molly Young hold press conference, travel to the spot outside Carbondale where Pravin died a year ago; 14-year-old female runaway out of Williamson County is being sought; two men, one from Perry County, one from Williamson, are hemmed up on child porn charges by the feds; the man who was caught because he wanted to steal a popsicle in rural Robinson has been sentenced in federal court; a Jefferson County man gets a stiff sentence from the feds on meth counts; and Kentucky State Police are looking to the public to help them identify remains of a woman who was last seen in 2001.

No ice cream. Just fruit, juiced.

From Mychal Bush-King's Facebook page.

CLAY CO., Ill.---One of Clay County's most troubled young people has now become an accused child pornographer and child molester.

According to authorities, Mychal Bush-King, 22, of Flora, stands charged of a Class X felony count of Child Pornography by Exhibition/Moving Picture (video), and a Class 2 felony count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse of a child, being 5 years old or older than the child in question.

In this case, the alleged victim is 14 years of age.

Our sources have advised that a little over a week ago, the father of the 14-year-old in question (who is a freshman at Flora High School) was going through his daughter's phone and found texts from Bush-King which implied sexual activity. Turns out that the family lived near Bush-King's residence and the 14-year-old was allegedly sneaking out of the house at night to attend nightly parties at Bush=King's residence...where it's been reported that there was underage drinking and inappropriate activity going on.

The father, whose name we have but are not releasing due to the age of the victim and the circumstances surrounding the case, took the material to Flora police. From there, they called Bush-King in for questioning reportedly last Saturday afternoon, February 7.

When police confiscated his laptop a short time later, it's reported that they found hundreds of photos of local teen girls, naked. Our sources indicate there was a folder created with each girl's name, each photo containing nudes of the underage girls.

Bush-King was arrested and charged on February 8 with the Child Porn. It was charged that the Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse occurred on Feb. 6, immediately preceding the discovery of the phone texts.

Bush-King is no stranger to the lawbreaking world, and Disclosure has been covering his brutality and questionable behavior for years, since about 2007. However, he's always managed to have someone come to his defense and try to cover up his bad acts, claiming "racism" when any reports were made that didn't end up in charges. A couple of years back, Disclosure brought a report in print about an alleged rape Bush-King was accused of but not charged, the lack of charges coming about due to the young man joining the Marines. A subsequent offspring he fathered may or may not have been the result of that incident, which was reported to Disclosure in detail...and which was 'covered up,' according to the victim's family, because of the fact that Bush-King was supposedly some ace ballplayer for the local high school team and because of his military intentions.

Apparently, becoming a member of the military didn't help his proclivities any.

Bush-King is being represented by Clay County public defender Chris Elliott, which means his societal pull might have finally reached its end. He's scheduled for a Feb. 23 preliminary hearing on the charges; Clay County Sheriff's officials have confirmed that as of today, he is still locked up pending either posting of bond ($100,000) or court hearing resulting in release. Terms of Bush-King's release, should he be able to post bond, are listed that he is not to be on school property and not to be in the presence of any child under the age of 18. We were unable to obtain a mugshot at this time and will likely be able to have that early in the week this upcoming week; keep checking back, as it's possible that further counts will be filed OR the case might go federal, as many child porn cases do.

MARION CO., Ill.— Illinois State Police have reported a non-fatal crash that took place yesterday involving a pickup truck and a semi tractor-trailer in the city of Sandoval in Marion County.

According to authorities, at approximately 1:55 p.m. on February 13, 2015, Eric Stenkel, 39, of Bakersfield, Calif., was driving an International semi tractor-trailer on US 50 at Sandoval when he failed to yield the right of way, turned onto US 51 and was struck by a 1998 Chevy S-10 pickup driven by a 58-year-old male of Salem. The pickup driver remains unidentified, in a disturbing trend by ISP lately to not name all involved, despite tax dollars going to the handling of the accident.

The driver of the pickup was transported by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia for treatment of his injuries.

Stenkel was cited for Failure to Yield.

KNOX CO., Ind.---In a story we evidently missed in 2012, a St. Francisville-based punk just got done serving a jail term for public intoxication....but it's not just ANY St. F punk.

It's St. F's punk cop's punk son, Travis "Lil Pee" Darnell, 25, son of Billy "PeeWee" Darnell.

Lil Pee, who earned his nickname in 2009 when we began featuring his underage drinking antics from Richland County (about which, naturally, nothing was done at the time....David Hyde, after all), was apparently popped over in Knox County on July 23, 2012, on a Public Intoxication charge, an Indiana Class B misdemeanor, as well as a Class A misdemeanor Criminal Conversion charge, which is similar to Illinois' conversion count in that it's basically "exerting unauthorized control over" (thieving) a vehicle.

This dragged on through the court system until February 2, 2015, when a bench trial was held and Lil Pee was found Not Guilty of the Conversion charge and Guilty of the Public Intoxication.

He was sentence to a $50 fine and a term of 180 days in the county lockup. Because the county lockup is usually so full of short-timers, that was reduced to 2 actual days in jail and the rest suspended to 365 days of supervised probation.

Lil Pee had to report to jail for those two days on February 6...which is where we get the fine mugshot, ostensibly, as he was a guest in that institution.

A whole year of being good is usually a difficult thing for any of the Darnell clan to do, so we'll have to just see how it shakes out for Lil Pee. He must not violate any statute or ordinance while on this probationary period, and that would include Illinois as well as Indiana. We'll keep you posted.

(Our thanks to the fine folks at HometownNewsDaily, where it was brought to our attention that Lil Pee was jailed. The graphic below is where we obtained the mugshot.)

Here we are with another back-to-back, every-three-week issue, packed with colossal information that YOU are going to want to read...and what better way to find out what's in the print edition than THIS MONTH'S PRINT HEADLINES!

Print headlines also give you a link in each headline straight to the article here at the e-Edition, where, if you're an online member, you have access to the article right here at the comfort of your computer or mobile device! If you're not an e-Edition subscriber, give it a try! A couple of mouse clicks, a PayPal or credit/debit account, and you're set for a day pass (24 hours) for only $2.99, or a full month for only $5.99!

Print headlines are presented in order of appearance in the paper: Front page, back page (which is our second front page), pages 2 and 3, Egypt, Heartland, Central, features in the center section if there are any this issue, and Op-Ed. They are presented by dateline (where the material in the article took place), headline, and a brief synopsis. And now, without further ado, here are THIS MONTH'S PRINT HEADLINES.

FRONT PAGE

Jonathan Trout

HAMILTON CO.---Conservation citations lead to multiple felonies: The Earp/Trout group, known affectionately around the offices as the Urps, might be a criminal family, but they are journalism's gift that keeps on giving. If they had ANY idea how good they were for clicks for us, they'd stop all their criminal activities overnight and start wearing robes and haloes. As it is, that's not gonna happen any time soon. Welcome to a multi-county story that doesn't stay just in Hamilton, but crosses into Saline, Richland, and even into another state: Kentucky. THANKS, Boyz!!

Denise Jobe, of the alleged Superbrawl?

CRAWFORD CO.---Treasurer charged: What's a Superbowl weekend without a little bit of a brawl? We wouldn't know, but Robinson's city treasurer might; ask her.

GALLATIN CO.---Takes gun to Dollar General: The backstory to the situation where a Kentucky criminal walked into Shawneetown Dollar General, engaged in words with someone, and ultimately was alleged to have had somebody else's gun in their car, which he'd conveniently tooled up to the DG in. Oh, what a twisted set of circumstances. Read it and see.

FLORA---Severe injuries in accident: Two gals were horsing around in Flora; one was old enough to know better, but unfortunately, she got the rougher end of the deal.

Caleb Gallion. How did he get that black eye? You'll be interested to find out!

LAWRENCE CO.---Teen runaways captured: Our first effort at using the e-Edition Xtra to promote a big story in the paper, and deliver it online. We're waiting on formal charges to be filed against one Caleb Dane Gallion; when they are, you'll read it here, complete with backstory that NO ONE else will have.

BACK PAGE

SALINE CO.---Alleged shooter in custody at IYC: Xzavier Gibbs made front-page headlines last issue; now, he's on the back page but no less headline-y. See what the latest is with this gangsta wannabe.

SALINE CO.---'Stay at home mom, mother of two' charged with having sex with teenage boy: We always hope that maybe there's a misunderstanding of sorts with this kind of thing...maybe someone's falsely accusing (that goes on a lot more than people realize); maybe there's a serious miscommunication. But unfortunately this gal is charged in two counties...so in this case, we're just going to have to wait and see.

JASPER CO.---Authorities mum about deputy's bad behavior: A follow up to the major front-pager in last issue, with no resolution in sight for the big brouhaha that developed in rural Ste. Marie back in November involving Jasper County Deputy Eric Lamb. You'll only read it in print version or e-Edition, so get clicking or get out and pick one up!

PAGE 2

SALINE CO.---'Lurking' Peoria man busted with needles; Harrisburg teen charged with huffing: Saline County dope report is a WEIRD one...and needed its own spot on Page 2.

GALLATIN CO.---Violence, marijuana and a stolen hat featured in crim report: When we're not following what's happening at the DG in Shawneetown, there's plenty of other crimes against people and property to report out of GallCo.

SALINE CO.---Church sued for negligence after trip-and-fall: Like the lead says: Some people don't pay any attention to certain passages of the Bible. Find out which one is being ignored in Saline County by reading this report.

PAGE 3

HARDIN CO.---Elizabethtown Village Clerk under fire; is she keeping minutes from village meetings?: After 13 years in publication, you'd think that public officials would get the idea that we REALLY detest being denied a FOIA. What are we going to do about it? Our options are laid out in this article; read it and tell us what course of action YOU think we should take.

EGYPT

EQUALITY---Property dispute over illicit cannabis grow up?: It just so happened that there were a couple of guys recently sentenced over a pot grow-op in the federal court system, all of them from GallCo. Were they the ones we were told about in 2012 who were slipping across property lines and using up some good volcanic soil for their cannabis in the Ridgway area?...and have we inadvertently stumbled upon WHERE?

Briannah Davis

HARDIN CO.---Among last to see Chrissy Williams alive--Davis served eviction in Rosiclare: Little Briannah Davis can't seem to stay out of trouble every so many months, in particular, the month of December. See what she's accused of doing recently in this report.

SALINE CO.---Scumbags charged with stealing vehicle, arrest leads to weapons, drug charges: The crimes against property report in Saline, expanded.

GALLATIN CO.---Texting leads to ditch, ditch to jail after alcohol found: An interesting little tidbit that needed its own headline out of GallCo.

SALINE CO.---Prison time for Ridgway meth cook: It's not all pot over in Ridgway and GallCo...the problem with this one is that he traipsed over into Saline County and got busted there.

Jeff Nolen mugshot, from December 2013

SALINE CO.---Dueling OPs in Nolen household: A sad commentary on what may or may not have been going on in the Nolen household was made all the more sad by the alleged suicide of Herr Nolen, Jeff, this past week. There's an allusion to what put him in the Saline County Detention Center (where he was when he met his demise) in this article; you'll want to read it to get the bigger picture.

SALINE CO.---Man sentenced for stealing from senior citizen center: More crimes against property in Saline; and you'll be amazed at the brazenness of this one.

HARDIN CO.---Tara Wallace not afraid of bigamists: Tara Wallace, Hardin County state's attorney, may not be inclined to follow through on violence, dope or DUI in her county...but she's sure not afraid of those big bad bigamists!! (I'll resist the temptation to descend into a Groucho Marx joke right here...)

SALINE CO.---Charged with attacking elderly woman in her bed: Yet another crimes against persons report in Saline that needed its own headline...because seriously, these people seem to be getting desperate. Those of you in Harrisburg will understand.

SALINE CO.---Pressuring witness to lie on the stand backfires on defendant: In an ongoing criminal case, you can't intimidate or harass a witness who might take the stand against you. This guy found that out the hard way.

SALINE CO.---Crims target Walmart for laptop and airlift pistol complete with accoutrements: Crimes against property report in Saline.

HARDIN CO.---Prosecutor's charges running 3-4 months behind: When she's not going after those terrible bigamists, Tara Wallace is running three to four months behind on everything else. We've been telling you about it for years; now, here's proof.

GALLATIN CO.---Suspected drunk hits police cruiser: Another GallCo crime against property that needed its own headline because, well...read it and see.

PAGE 12 FEATURE

MARION---Threats issued as city learns of $46 mil debt: Fortunately for Ann Colburn, mayoral candidate for the city of Marion, she's no stranger to threats. Unfortunately for the city, the "noose incident" serves only to underscore the fact that there's a lot more going on in the city...like $46 million in debt. Gads.

HEARTLAND 

CRAWFORD CO.---Bank says former Crawford deputy from Flat Rock has defaulted on multiple loans: Civil court in Crawford County hasn't been a pleasant venue for a former deputy. See who, and how, by reading this.

Flaky Frankie Frye

CRAWFORD CO.---Flaky Frankie Frye subject of no-contact order after alleged phone threats: Just when you thought the general public was safe from Frankie Frye after that stupid stunt with the lotto in late 2012, up he pops in a Crawford County OP report. Can we just be done away with this guy...? Please...?

EFFINGHAM CO.---Karate instructor charged with child abduction: Material for those who prefer the print product regarding the massive coverage of end-of-January alleged abduction of a 13-year-old from the Effingham area. What's REALLY going on with this...?

EDGAR CO.---Burno's quest could end mid-February: Craycray Jan Burno (Payton...Mills...whatever) is going to get her answer here about mid-month as to whether she can continue her futile pursuit against people who've made her butthurt on topix.com. She's not going to like it either way...the judge is either going to tell her she hasn't been slandered nor defamed, or he's going to tell her she has and the person/people who've done it must reveal his/her identity/identities...in which case she isn't going to like it because it's not US, like she thinks it is. But we'll giggle either way. Read this to keep up on it, before the big reveal...or non-reveal, whatever.

CRAWFORD CO.---Meth delivery and DUI charged: Crawford County drug report.

CRAWFORD CO.---Hair care products, mobile home axle and a scooter among stolen items in Crawford: Crawford County crimes against persons/property report...and it's laugh-inducing.

X-TRA: CRAWFORD CO.---Close call for man who pointed air gun at police: We over-wrote on Heartland this month, so here's the first in a series of reports you're only going to get if you're an e-Edition online member!

X-TRA: CRAWFORD CO.---Crawford sex offender charged with burglary: Second such report, see above!

X-TRA: JASPER CO.---Newton man charged with pot and pills: Third such report, see above!

X-TRA: CRAWFORD CO.---Alabama hunters make up lion's share of hunting citations: Fourth such report...but I can't even imagine why people from Alabama would come to Illinois just to HUNT. There are plenty of deer down there.

CENTRAL

HAMILTON CO.---'Banding' debacle expands; neighbor charged:  Did you think the dog-castration story in the last issue was the end of it in Hamilton County? Not by a long shot. There's more, and here it is.

WHITE CO.---Local man claims to be in California, but viewing young girls in Carmi: One of the creepiest things we've seen come out of White County in a long time. We're hoping someone takes some steps to stop this kind of thing...because this is how worse crimes start.

RICHLAND CO.---Illegal village mayor files legal paperwork against village tenants to whom he rents: There's a little codicil at the end of this article that everyone who might take offense needs to read VERY CAREFULLY...we've given everybody in the mix ample opportunity to clear it up and they haven't, so you get what you get, Shamrock-boy.

WABASH CO.---Punch in the mouth, arson and stolen cigars in Wabash: A combined crimes against person/property report out of Wabash, where things are starting to...heh..."heat up"...?

CLAY CO.---Mr. Eastin can't stay out of the headlines; wants custody of his kids: Remember Topper Eastin? No? Surely you remember his Momma? Well, Topper returns (LOL)...and he has a very viable petition in civil court right now in Clay County.

CLAY CO.---Portrait of a drug-fueled meltdown?--Or just another domestic?: There are a lot of repeat crim type of articles coming out of Clay County this month...and for those of you who've followed us for years, you'll understand why this one is important.

RICHLAND CO.---Strangulation and a punch from Villa Grove reported: The Richland County crimes against persons report.

WHITE CO.---Sex offender charged with arranging to meet child at library: And see...? this kind of thing happens (reference the White County article above)...you seriously can't be too careful with these online creeps. This article shows why.

RICHLAND CO.---Richland County prosecutor struggles with dangling things and four pounds of weed: Well, the weed-man's gonna be late, peeps...best get out and get your Medical Marijuana certification; it might take less time.

HAMILTON CO.---Former Eldorado doper charged with delivery in Hamilton Co.: Another crossover piece, this one from Saline to HamCo, and having to do with dope.

HAMILTON CO.---Conservation citations issued for illegal deer hunting: No, not the Urps. Yet another set of conservation violations in HamCo, where there are apparently very busy conservation police.

CLAY CO.---Felons charged with guns and dope in Clay Co.: The dope report coming in out of Clay Count.

LAWRENCE CO.---Convicted Bridgeport meth doper leads arrest report: Not a lot of big news out of Lawrence these past three weeks, but what there is is fairly interesting, per this report.

CLAY CO.---Four charged in latest state police alcohol sting: Those 20.75-year-olds with full beards and a few lines on their faces have infiltrated booze sellers in Clay; here's the report on that.

WHITE CO.---Elderly man caught in latest meth roundup: Dope isn't just for the young; it's for the young at heart, as well, apparently.

CLAY CO.---Flora man charged with using large burning candle and truck as weapons: Hey. When you can't carry concealed, you have to use SOMETHING, right?

OP-ED

SURLY & UNCOOPERATIVE (Jack): For the love of gardening and for the scooters

ICY (Ang): Examining your shrinking water options

MINKUS INK (Bubba): Columnist placed in solitary confinements for exposing the truth---Letter writer who opposed column concerning cushy prison digs appears to be a sex offender

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (letters)

BACK OVER YOUR TALES: From the pages of the February/March 2010 edition, including coverage of Tim Monroe's cocaine trial in Harrisburg, and Shannon Wilfong's nightmare at the hand of her ex, Mike Chekevdia, Raymond Martin's Jackson County mess, and much, much more!!

Daniel Heller, Clay County Sheriff's Office mugshot

FLORA, Ill.---On the heels of the arrest of Mychal A. Bush-King on charges of child porn and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, another set of child sex crimes has been charged, but Flora authorities are stating one has nothing to do with the other.

Flora resident Daniel Heller, 27, was arrested this past Friday, less than a week after the Bush-King arrest. Heller has been charged with a single Class 2 felony count of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse of a minor while being 5 years or more older than the victim, and a single Class 4 felony count of Solicitation to Meet a Child while being 5 years or more older than the victim.

In this case, the victim's age has not been disclosed, unlike that of the Bush-King case, although that's likely to come out before the next print edition, where the case will be featured in its entirety (release date March 4).

Inquiries to Flora police chief John Nicholson have confirmed that one case has nothing to do with the other, and was merely a matter of timing as regards the arrests and release of information pertaining to the individual cases.

Heller is being held on a $100,000 bond with conditions imposed, should he be able to make bond, that he have no contact with the alleged victim and that he have no contact with any person under the age of 18 without adult supervision.

A next court date has yet to be set.

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For those of you who've been following the craziness this weekend in the area, you'll know that this is going to be a busy 'cap, so here it is, Monday, February 16, 2015!

Topics covered include: Two arrests this past week on child sex crime charges, one being Mychal Bush-King, the other, Daniel Heller, both in Flora; homicide investigation underway in the city of Robinson; hostage situation in Hardin County involves multiple agencies, leads to arrest of CH Smock; and if you're snowed in, you can always hit the e-Edition as opposed to getting this month's print version off the stands!

mmmm...yummy

CENTRALIA, Ill.---A Centralia man was killed last night following a shooting that took place at the door of his home.

Michael Keith Tolliver, 30, was at his home last night (Monday, February 16, 2015) at the 300 block of North Maple when he answered a knock on the door at about 10 p.m.

Another man who resided in the home with Tolliver stated that he heard someone yelling, and shots rang out at that time; when police responded they found Tolliver having been shot in the doorway to his residence and had made it back into the place before collapsing.

Witnesses in the neighborhood later told police that they had seen "four to five men" running from the residence, but whether they were able to give accurate descriptions remains unknown.

Tolliver was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy had been scheduled for today; if there are any results revealed we'll add that report to this post.

Anyone with any information is urged to call their local authorities.

Dillion Bailey, mugshot from June 2014

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---Dillion Wayne Bailey, 30, of West Salem, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Benton to a 14 year term of imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute 2 ounces of highly pure methamphetamine (commonly known as “crystal” or “ice”), announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Bailey was charged with that offense by a Federal Grand Jury on July 8, 2014, and pled guilty to it on October 23. The offense occurred on June 13, 2014, in White County.

Evidence introduced in support of the guilty plea and sentence showed that on June 13 Bailey was stopped by a Grayville, Illinois, Police Department officer for a traffic violation. After an Edwards County Sheriff’s Department drug detection dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in Bailey’s vehicle, Bailey attempted to flee the scene in his vehicle. Bailey struck the officer with his car which forced the officer onto the hood to avoid being ran over. Bailey proceeded across a two-block-long parking lot with the officer still on his hood.  Bailey ignored the officer’s commands to stop until the officer was able to draw and point his service weapon. Bailey continued to resist arrest, forcing officers to deploy the canine. After Bailey was subdued, 2 ounces of ice, a bag of glass smoking pipes, numerous small unused plastic baggies, and a digital scale were found in Bailey’s vehicle. Subsequent laboratory testing revealed that the methamphetamine was 100 percent pure. A search of Bailey’s pockets revealed $2,131 in cash.

In addition to the 14 year prison sentence, Bailey was ordered to pay fines and special assessments totaling $300 to the United States and was placed on a 3 year term of supervised release to follow his incarceration.  Following his sentencing, Bailey was returned to the custody of the United States Marshal, where has been held without bond since his arrest on the federal charges in July, to await designation to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Grayville Police Department, with the assistance of the Edwards County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS---Daryl G. Nenninger, a 34-year old, Lawrenceville, Illinois, man was sentenced on February 18, 2015, in federal district court in Benton, Illinois, for violation of the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Nenninger was sentenced to 48 months in prison with 5 years of supervised release to follow; fined $100, and ordered to pay $100 special assessment.

The violation was discovered after the Department of State and the U.S. Consulate in Mexico notified the United States Marshal’s Service that Nenninger had been arrested in Mexico on March 28, 2014.  Nenninger was extradited to Illinois and taken into custody by law enforcement officials, where he then admitted that after registering in Lawrence County, Illinois, on December 11, 2013, he took a train from Effingham to El Paso, Texas, and then crossed the Mexican border without properly informing the State of Illinois as to his whereabouts. Nenninger was convicted on November 17, 2005, for Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse in Third Judicial Court in Bond County, Illinois.

Further information about the federal sex offender registration requirements is available at this link.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.