Court Call: Conferences on Sterling homicide on docket
Knox County
Friday
Nicholas Sheley, 30, of Sterling; charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery, robbery and possession of a stolen motor vehicle in the death of Ronald Randall, 65, of Galesburg in late June 2008.
On the docket: Case management conference, where the judge and attorneys will discuss matters concerning the case and set a trial schedule.
Lee County
Wednesday
Eric Lemons, 28, of Ashton; charged with 3 counts of first-degree murder in the bludgeoning death of Todd E. Harn, 28, of Ashton, killed April 5.
On the docket: Lee County Judge Ron Jacobson will rule on motion to bar evidence at trial that Lemons and Kaylyn Gideon had sex next to Harn’s body within hours of his murder.
Kaylyn Gideon, 21, of Ashton; charged with obstructing justice for allegedly giving Lemons cleaning supplies to clean up around Harn’s body.
On the docket: Status hearing.
Brian Arriola, 19, of Dixon; charged with residential burglary and criminal damage to property. According to police, Arriola and two other men went on a one-night crime spree in northeast Dixon on Sept. 26, breaking into five to 10 homes and about 10 vehicles.
On the docket: Preliminary hearing, where evidence is presented to the judge to determine if there is enough to justify a trial. Defendants may waive the proceedings.
Dylan Green, 17, of Polo; charged with residential burglary, two counts of burglary, criminal damage to property, and two counts of criminal trespass to motor vehicle. According to police, Green and two other men allegedly went on a one-night crime spree in northeast Dixon on Sept. 26, breaking into five to 10 homes and about 10 vehicles.
On the docket: Pretrial conference, where the judge and attorneys will discuss matters concerning the case and to set a trial schedule.
Mark Soles, 52, of Compton; charged with burglary and escape for allegedly burglarizing a garage in Paw Paw on Nov. 21 then escaping from a deputy’s patrol car. He was caught several hours later.
On the docket: Preliminary hearing.
Kyle Sweet, 19, Dixon; charged with burglary, theft over $300, criminal damage to property over $300, and criminal trespass to real property, a misdemeanor; Kody Sweet, 18, Dixon; charged with burglary, theft over $300, and criminal trespass to real property, a misdemeanor; and Nickolas Howard, 18; charged with two counts each of burglary and theft over $300. He also is charged with two counts of criminal trespass to real property, criminal damage to property under $300, and theft under $300, all misdemeanors.
Police say the three broke into a Dixon car wash twice this summer and robbed the place.
On the docket: Preliminary hearing.
Thursday
Byron Adams, 51, of Chicago; charged with first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and criminal trespass to a vehicle. Police say Adams suffocated Margaret Atherton, 35, in her Dixon home on Sept. 11.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Whiteside County
Wednesday
Luis Carranza, 19, of Sterling; charged with murder, aggravated battery and mob action for a fight that killed Jose Lopez, 54, of Sterling in June. Carranza is accused of beating Rodolfo Luevano, 41, and breaking his cheek bone by hitting him with a belt and metal belt buckle.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Mark Chavez, 25, of Sterling; charged with two counts of aggravated assault to a peace officer, a misdemeanor, aggravated battery, armed violence and failure to report an accident. Police say he used his car to try to ram a Sterling man who minutes earlier had punched him in the CGH Medical Center parking lot. The incident happened in late October.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Thomas Genz, 56, and Karen Genz, 64, of Coleta; charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana plants, and possession of 30-500 grams of marijuana.
Agents of the Blackhawk Area Task Force raided the Genzes’ home in August 2008 and said they found 32 mature marijuana plants with a street value of more than $30,000, $16,000 in cash and $300 in processed marijuana.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Joseph Higley, 21, of Sterling; charged with three counts of burglary and one count of resisting a peace officer. Police say Higley broke into several cars in Sterling on Nov. 21, and when officers tried to talk to him, he ran.
On the docket: Preliminary hearing.
Cousins Jerry Jones, 41, and Scott Jones, 36, both of Sterling; charged with armed violence for allegedly stabbing two Rock Falls men during an alcohol-fueled fight on Oct. 22.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Mika Peregrine, 19, of Sterling; charged with armed robbery; Tyler Shaw-Sodaro, 18, of Sterling; charged with armed robbery; and Ian Vanstockum, 23, of Sterling; charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery. Police say they attacked a pizza deliverer in late October and took an undisclosed amount of cash and a large pizza.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Jonathan Payne, 31, of Sterling; charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a school, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, obstructing justice, and intimidation.
Payne was arrested Sept. 18 after he allegedly tried to sell 30 grams of crack cocaine to an acquaintance. The acquaintance called police after Payne refused to leave his house, and Payne threatened the acquaintance with gang violence, police said.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Shane Schueler, 31, of Sterling; charged with home invasion, two counts of residential burglary, and aggravated battery to a senior citizen for allegedly breaking into an 85-year-old Sterling man’s home Sept. 2 and beating him. He also broke into the man’s home on July 22, police say.
He’s also charged with aggravated battery, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and criminal trespass, a misdemeanor, in another case.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Eric Smith, 29, of Rock Falls; charged with being an armed habitual criminal and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. He’s accused of hiding guns Nicholas Sheley allegedly stole from a Rock Falls house in late June.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Merle Stage, 47, of Fulton; charged with possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver. Police say they found the drug during a traffic stop in May 2007.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Miguel Tamayo, 20, of Sterling; charged with murder, aggravated battery and mob action for a fight that killed Jose Lopez, 54 of Sterling in June. Luis Carranza is accused of beating Rodolfo Luevano, 41, and breaking his cheek bone by hitting him with a belt and metal belt buckle.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Marcus Taylor, 38, of Rock Falls; charged with 16 counts of transmitting HIV, three counts of burglary and seven counts of forgery.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Dustin Terlizzi, 33, of Rock Falls; charged with unlawful delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a park and unlawful delivery of cocaine.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Thursday
Ron Halgren, 68, of Rock Falls. Halgren and the city have been at odds for years over the condition of his home and yard. In September, the city reported that he had mowed his lawn, trimmed his trees, turned on his utilities and taken out a building permit to make $1,000 in repairs to his home.
On the docket: Status hearing.
Jason Mueller, 32, of Miles, Iowa; unlawful possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver, which police say they found during a traffic stop in May 2007.
On the docket: Motion to vacate guilty plea/sentencing hearing.
