Court Call: Sterling murder defendants to appear in court
Whiteside County
Wednesday
Luis Carranza, 19, and Miguel Tamayo, 20, both of Sterling; charged with murder, aggravated battery and mob action for a fight that killed Jose Lopez, 54, of Sterling in June. They are accused of beating Rodolfo Luevano, 41, and breaking his cheekbone by hitting him with a belt and metal belt buckle.
On the docket: Each has a pretrial conference, where the judge and attorneys will discuss matters concerning the case and to set a trial schedule.
Eric Smith, 30, 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 police say Nicholas Sheley stole from a Rock Falls house in late June.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Noe and Davia Cantu, 47 and 39, both of Rock Falls; charged with unlawful possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and unlawful possession of cocaine.
The Blackhawk Area Task force raided their home Oct. 30 after receiving numerous complaints that they were dealing cocaine from the house. Agents said they found 5 grams of cocaine, plastic bags, crack pipes and $451 in cash.
On the docket: Pretrial conferences.
Jose Carrizoza, 40, of Wenden, Ariz.; charged with unlawful possession of more than 900 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver. Carrizoza was pulled over on Oct. 30 after allegedly failing to signal while getting off Interstate 88 near Erie. A drug-sniffing dog found 13 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $600,000, police said.
On the docket: Motion to suppress statements.
Thomas and Karen Genz, 56 and 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 their 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.
Roland V. Hill, 34, of Sterling; charged with home invasion and criminal trespass to a home. According to police, Hill went into a home in the 800 block of Avenue E on Dec. 20, pulled out a BB gun that looked like a handgun and pointed it at the owner of the home. He was arrested as he left the house.
On the docket: Preliminary hearing, in which evidence is presented to the judge to determine whether there is enough to justify a trial. Defendants may choose to waive the proceeding.
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.
Luisa Morell-Engelkes, 42, of Morrison; charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, Investigators say she inappropriately touched and texted a 15-year-old boy in November. At the time of her arrest, she was a volunteer at Sterling Christian School.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Mika Peregrine, 19, 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.
Daniel Sheimo, 28, of Sterling; charged with possession of between 500 and 2,000 grams of marijuana, manufacture of between 500 and 2,000 grams of marijuana, production of fewer than 5 plants, driving while his license was revoked, and possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana.
Police say they pulled over Sheimo earlier this month and found a small amount of marijuana in his car. When they went to his apartment to speak with his girlfriend, Janda Hicks, they smelled marijuana, obtained a search warrant, and found a 4-foot-tall plant growing in the apartment the couple share with their three children, police said. Hicks also is charged with possession of between 500 and 2,000 grams of marijuana.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Dustin Stage, 24, of Fulton; charged with home invasion, armed robbery, residential burglary and aggravated battery; burglary; theft; and four counts of harassing a witness. Stage was arrested in June after he allegedly broke into a family’s house in Sterling, robbed them and shot a man in the forehead with a BB gun.
On the docket: Pretrial conference.
Merle Stage, 47, of Fulton; charged with possession of more than 5,000 grams of marijuana with intent to deliver. Police say they found the drug during a traffic stop in May 2007.
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.
