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  Police, Fire and Courts

Peoria Journal Star
May 17, 2007

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/051707/POL_BD83BFKK.033.php

Fourth boy comes forward in minister's sex case

Bloomington - A minister and former substitute teacher who allegedly molested three boys has been accused by a fourth boy.

James C. Love, 37, was indicted Wednesday by a McLean County grand jury on one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count of aggravated battery. He allegedly sedated the boy with an anesthetic before committing sexual abuse.

Love, a State Farm employee, worked as a substitute teacher in Bloomington-Normal schools and serves as a minister for Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Bloomington. He was jailed last week on charges involving three other boys.

Police spokesman Duane Moss said police have not spoken with the fourth boy, who came forward in interviews conducted by the McLean County State's Attorney's Office.

Love's bond is set at $30,000. He is to appear in court Friday.

Suspicious letter sends Afni employees home

Bloomington - About 250 Afni Inc. employees were sent home Wednesday because of a suspicious letter.

The letter was found around noon at the company's office on Martin Luther King Drive by a mailroom employee.

Bloomington firefighters in decontamination suits evacuated the business within minutes of their arrival, city police spokesman Duane Moss said.

Police are contacting postal inspectors to determine if the envelope-sized package contains hazardous material, Moss said.

"There were some reports out earlier in the media that it was some kind of white powder in the package. That is not accurate. I can't say specifically what it was," Moss said.

Police cleared the scene by about 3:30 p.m. and turned the building back over to Afni.

Employees gathered outside the building until they were sent home around 1:30 pm. Afni plans to reopen the offices today.

The employee who discovered the package did not require medical attention, Afni spokesman Alan Angelo said.

Afni, a Bloomington-based marketing outsourcer and insurance debt collector, employs about 1,150 people at offices in Bloomington-Normal.

Raccoon causes power outage in Macomb

Macomb - An animal wandered into an Ameren substation Wednesday morning, causing a power outage that affected about 2,370 Macomb area customers.

Ameren Corp. spokesman Leigh Morris said the animal got into a substation that handles the west side of Macomb and other adjoining sections. The animal, which was electrocuted, was reported to be a raccoon.

Morris said 2,368 customers were affected by the outage, which began at 4:36 a.m. Wednesday. He said power was restored to all customers shortly after 8 a.m. Some customers also experienced low voltage, meaning their lights appeared dimmer than usual during the period.

Second arrest made in attack of Macomb man

Macomb - Police have made a second arrest in the case of a man who said he was attacked last week while trying to buy marijuana.

Alvin Harris, 23, of Macomb was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging him with robbery, mob action and aggravated battery. He was in the McDonough County Jail on $35,000 bond.

Last week Milan Woodard, 23, was charged with robbery and mob action for the same incident.

Matthew Bassing of Macomb was attacked May 9 at an apartment on Wigwam Hollow Road. He told police an argument began when he went there to buy marijuana.

He said someone threw a towel over his head and he was beaten. Believing his attackers had a gun, Bassing said he turned over $1,400 to them.

Bassing's jaw was broken in the attack, and he underwent surgery in Galesburg.

Woodard is free on $25,000 bond.

Alleged knifepoint abduction leads to arrest

Macomb - A Bardolph man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly threatening a former girlfriend with a knife and abducting three people at knifepoint.

Jonah Moulton, 28, was picked up on a warrant that charges him with two counts of home invasion, three counts of unlawful restraint and one count of aggravated domestic battery.

The warrant was sought after a May 4 incident at an apartment on Cole Street in Bushnell.

According to court documents, Moulton is accused of kicking in the front door, which struck Annastacia Johnson in the face. He also allegedly threatened to stab Johnson.

Documents did not say whether Johnson was injured.

Moulton also is accused of forcing Johnson as well as Jessica Moulton and Jarod Helmick into a vehicle while carrying a knife.

Moulton was in the McDonough County Jail on $50,000 bond.

Galesburg doctor charged with sexual abuse

Monmouth (GHNS) - A longtime Galesburg doctor has been charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Warren County.

Dr. Robert J. Prentice, 62, of Alexis was arrested May 9. The charges allege the abuse occurred in March and April 2004.

State's Attorney Chip Algren said the victim is a girl between the ages of 13 and 17.

Each charge would carry a potential sentence of three to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

Prentice's first court appearance is scheduled for June 26.

Court order required for more DNA testing

Bloomington - DNA samples in the murder case of Donald Whalen Jr. will not be tested further without a court order.

McLean County Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Robb told defense attorney Jeff Abbot on Tuesday to file a proposed order stating what items the defense may still want to be tested and by whom. A status hearing is set for July 10.

Whalen, 40, is serving a 60-year prison term for the 1991 beating and stabbing of his father, William Whalen, at the former Twenty Grand Tap.

State crime lab results indicated DNA on a cigarette butt found at the scene did not match Whalen or his father, according to court records. The lab will not do further testing unless police identify a suspect who matches the DNA.

First Assistant State's Attorney Kim Campbell has said the DNA sample on the cigarette was found at the bar and could have come from anybody.

Robb approved funding for defense expert Karl Reich to determine whether the cigarette could be tested at a private lab.

Whalen asked the judge in March to order additional testing on a knife found in the bar that contained DNA from an unidentified source. A court order has not been issued for testing on the knife.

WIU student sentenced to probation for marijuana

Macomb - A Western Illinois University student was sentenced to two years of first-offender drug probation Tuesday for possessing marijuana in his dormitory room.

Tyler Levi, 18, of Quincy pleaded guilty to one count of possession of between 10 and 30 grams of marijuana with the intent to deliver, a felony.

Levi must pay more than $1,100 in fines, fees and assessments and perform 30 hours of community service. He must have three random drug tests and comply with the recommendations of a substance abuse evaluation.

If Levi completes probation successfully, a felony conviction won't appear on his record.

An officer with the WIU Office of Public Safety went to Levi's Henninger Hall dormitory room after a report of a burning marijuana smell. Police found seven bags of marijuana with a total weight of about 30 grams.

Prosecutors said Levi was cooperative with police and told them he intended to sell the drug.

Jail time given to Macomb man who failed drug test

Macomb - A rural Macomb man was resentenced Tuesday on drug charges related to a 2005 traffic stop.

Ronnie Plate, 22, pleaded guilty in December 2005 to possessing a controlled substance. He was sentenced to a two-year term of first-offender drug probation.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that Plate violated probation by failing two random drug tests.

Plate was sentenced Tuesday to a two-year term of felony reporting probation and 30 days in the McDonough County Jail. Another 120-day jail term will be deferred if he complies with terms of his probation.

Plate was arrested after police stopped his car for having an obstructed windshield. Officers later found a small amount of methamphetamine and marijuana inside the car.

 
 

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