Prison guard charged with theft
Search turns up scrap, tools, other stolen items, Whiteside deputies say
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| Troy J. Morgan |
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STERLING – A Dixon Correctional Center officer was behind bars Wednesday after Whiteside County deputies say they found stolen scrap in his rural Sterling home.
Bond will be set today for Troy J. Morgan, 31, who is charged with six counts of felony theft and two counts of misdemeanor theft.
More charges may be filed against Morgan, Whiteside County Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi said.
On Jan. 24, a deputy on patrol drove by Morgan’s West Lincolnway home and noticed black smoke coming from behind it. He stopped, and saw Morgan burning plastic off of copper wire, Wilhelmi said.
Deputies determined the wire was stolen from a rock quarry in Emerson the week before. A search of Morgan’s home Wednesday turned up wiring, chains, heavy tarps, tools, and other items, Wilhelmi said.
Area trucking business owners who have been burglarized recently were called in and were able to identify some of the items. Deputies still are trying to determine where the rest came from.
Sterling, Rock Falls, Carroll County, Ogle County, and State Police are assisting.
According to his Facebook page, Morgan has been a correctional officer at the Dixon prison since 2003. He also owns Cell Block Kennels in Sterling.
Messages left with the Illinois Department of Corrections were not returned Wednesday.
