Police News 05-13-14

Canton Man Facing Drug Charges After Traffic Stop (Canton, IL) -- A Canton man is facing drug charges after Canton police conduct a traffic stop last week in Canton. Police say they made the stop on West Locust Street near the intersection with North Avenue A after spotting that the vehicle had an expired registration tag. The police report indicated that as the officer making the stop approached the vehicle, they detected an odor of pot coming from the vehicle. Police identified the driver as 38-year old Michael A. Carson. Carson was given a written warning for having expired registration tags. He then gave the officer permission to search the vehicle. Police found a bag of marijuana in his front left pocket and also a hitter pipe used to smoke cannabis. Carson was cited with a city ordinance violation of unlawful possession of cannabis and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. He has 14 days to either pay a fine or he will have a June Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Retail Theft Charges Filed Against Canton Man (Canton, IL) -- A Canton man was arrested after an incident that occurred on the north end of Canton at Casey's General Store. Police say they were dispatched to the store on Thursday afternoon at just before 3:30 on the report of a retail theft. The suspect allegedly left the store in a Jeep prior to police arriving at the scene. After getting a description of the male from the store clerk, police located the vehicle and made a traffic stop in the area of North Main and North Park Streets. Officers say that a passenger in the vehicle fit the description of the man from the incident at the store, who was identified as 37-year old Chad W. McCallister. McCallister allegedly took a Bic lighter from the store. He was arrested on a retail theft charge and taken to the Canton Police Department to be processed. McCallister was unable to post bond and was later taken to the Fulton County Jail in Lewistown. Traffic Stop Results In Two Arrests (Canton, IL) -- A traffic stop in Canton last week resulted in two arrests. Canton police say they stopped the vehicle in the 1400 block of South 5th Avenue Wednesday morning at 2:15 for having a rear registration plate that was improperly displayed. The vehicle had four occupants in it at the time of the stop. The officer making the stop detected an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. A passenger in the vehicle, 20-year old Kendel W. Jordan submitted to a breath test that showed that he had been drinking alcohol. A 16-year old Lewistown male was also determined to have been drinking. Both Jordan and the teen were cited with a city ordinance violation of unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor. The 16 year old was released to the custody of a parent. Both Jordan and the teen have 14-days to pay a fine or will have a June Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Jordan was also charged with illegal transportation of alcohol by a passenger. Elmwood Man Turns Self In To Canton Police (Canton, IL) -- An Elmwood man wanted on a valid warrant turned himself into Canton police over the weekend. 20-year old Jason P. Downs was wanted on a 2014 Fulton County Criminal Felony Warrant for possession of a controlled substance. Downs was then arrested and processed for the warrant at the Canton Police Department. He posted a $500 cash bond and a $20 processing fee and was released. Downs was given a June Fulton County Court Date in Lewistown. Valid Warrant Results In Canton Man Turning Himself In (Canton, IL) -- A Canton man wanted on a valid warrant turned himself in to authorities in Canton last week. Police say that Wednesday afternoon at just after 5:45, 43-year old Stephen P. Beaird entered the Canton Police Department to turn himself in on a 2014 Fulton County Warrant, failure to appear contempt of court. After being arrested and processed, Beaird posted a $100 cash bond and a $20 processing fee and was released. He has a June Fulton County Court date in Lewistown. Nicholas Sheley Facing Latest Murder Trial From 2008 Spree (Rock Island, IL) -- Jury selection is under way in Rock Island for the latest murder trial of accused serial killer Nicholas Sheley. The 34-year-old Sheley has pleaded not guilty to the 2008 murder of four people in a Rock Falls apartment -- a murder that was allegedly part of a two-state killing spree. Sheley is already serving two life terms for killing one men in Sterling and another in Galesburg. He's also facing charges in the deaths of an Arkansas couple found dead in Missouri. Former Cat Contracter Sentenced For Taking Items From Them (Peoria, IL) -- The second of the two men arrested in connection with the theft of millions of dollars worth of equipment from Caterpillar last year was in Peoria County Circuit Court on Monday. 50-year old John Peters of East Peoria entered a guilty plea yesterday. He was then sentenced to seven years in prison. Peters along with 35-year old Eliot Wells of Peoria were both accused of taking items from Cat over a three year period. Police executed a search warrant at Peters' home last year where they say they found $300,000 of property from Caterpillar. Authorities say the pair were contract workers and would allegedly cary the stolen goods out in their lunch pails and would then utilize an e-bay acount where the items were sold over the internet.