CLAY CO.— One of a pair of Edgewood men could be facing a return trip to prison while a second man might find himself seated next to him on the bus ride to the big house.
According to information filed in the case, on August 10 at or near 5621 Ridge Rd., Edgewood Aaron B. Flota, 36, of 5465 Ridge Rd., and Kevin E. Caldwell, 35, of 5194 Ridge Road, both of Edgewood, committed the offense of Unlawful Possession of an Explosive or Incendiary Device.
The charge alleges that Flota and Caldwell put their beady little heads together and manufactured a detonating device for use with an explosive compound intending to use the device to commit the offense of Disorderly Conduct to alarm and disturb the residents of 5621 Ridge Rd., Edgewood.
Known as “The Ridge” in the north Clay County region, the place has gained notoriety for both state and federal investigations into shootings, meth labs, dope trafficking, and, per this very article, explosions, explosives, and other incendiary devices…so frequently, in fact, that agents from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) pretty much know their way around The Ridge now, even in the dark and without the aid of night-vision goggles.
According to a press release issued by Clay County Sheriff Andy Meyers, an explosion occurred on the morning of the 10th (time not given; just “in the early morning hours”) believed to be intentional and which injured one person. As of press time, (Aug. 23) the injured person wasn’t identified. Caldwell was the one arrested at that time; the other individual was recovering, in the days following, from injuries that were not life-threatening.
Caldwell history
Caldwell, a frequent-flyer crim from The Ridge, began his criminal career like most with a few misdemeanors here and there including a conviction May 2, 2007 of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis for which he was sentenced to court supervision for one year and ordered to pay $1,191 in fines and fees.
He was also convicted July 23, 2008 of Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and sentenced to jail for four days and ordered to pay $1,196 in fines and fees.
He earned his first felony in Effingham County having been convicted of Criminal Damage to Property $300-$10,000.
For that little screw-up he was sentenced to probation for two years and ordered to pay $6,776.84 in fines and fees, of which he still owes a whopping $4,876 and change.
For his second run at earning himself a felony Caldwell appears to have gone all out in Clay County.
In addition to the explosive/incendiary device charge Caldwell is also charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of Firearm Ammunition identified as 21-.22 caliber bullets, one .20 gauge shotgun shell and one .12 gauge Remington deer slug and Theft for allegedly taking a 911 Directional sign that said “Raven Road.”
Serial offender
Flota is a serial offender who has earned himself several trips to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
He was convicted of felony Using Another’s Checking Account and misdemeanor charges of one count Criminal Trespass to Land and two counts of Battery July 30, 1997 for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, 24 months probation and $912 in fines and fees.
That probation was violated December 28, 1998 when he was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a felon.
The possession charge was suspended but he was re-sentenced to IDOC for three years in the checking account case.
He was found guilty of Unlawful Consumption of Liquor by a Minor, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle, Unlicensed Driver and Improper Traffic Lane Usage, July 3, 2001 and sentenced to jail for 23 months and ordered to pay $1,452 in fines and fees of which he still owes $531.
Flota was convicted again September 10, 2003 of Burglary and sentenced to IDOC for five years and ordered to pay $1,435 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $135.
He was found guilty March 30, 2009 of Battery, Knowingly Damaging Property $300-$10,000 and two counts of Driving Revoked.
He was sentenced to IDOC for one year and ordered to pay $1,767 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $846.
He earned himself yet another IDOC sentence of six years when he was convicted March 23, 2011 of Felon on Parole in Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.
He still owes $506 in fines and fees in that case.
If convicted in his current case Flota is facing four to 30 years behind bars.
No bond information was available in Flota’s case.
Cash bond was set in Caldwell’s case at $5,000.
Order of protection
Three days prior to the event which lead Caldwell and Flota to be charged. Amy L. Fancher, of South Willow Street in Effingham, requested an Order of Protection against Flota, whom she describes as an ex-boyfriend.
In her petition for OP, Fancher said that on August 6 Flota showed up at her place of work, at Chestnut Corners Shelter Care, located at 905 West Chestnut St., Louisville, and tried to bust out the windows of her car.
“And he threatened to cut my throat so I called Clay County authorities and they came to my work and made him leave,” she wrote.
But Fancher clams that Flota persisted and that night continued texting and calling, threatening to cut her throat and burn all of her “stuff.”
The next day she said Flota called her cell phone and work phone and the county sheriff’s department had to step in and tell him to stop.
Whether or not the OP was granted is unclear.
What is clear is that Fancher described Flota as sporting a charming tattoo of a lightning bolt on his head.
It’s unknown whether the incendiary/explosive device alleged to have been in the possession of either of the two had anything to do with any kind of threat against Fancher.