News

State's Attorney reminds public about tax refund fraud

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Monday, March 18th, 2013, 3:09pm

State's Attorney reminds public about tax refund fraud

UNION COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Union County State's Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds is alerting the public about what he says is identity theft and tax refund fraud associated with April's tax filing deadline.

According to Edmonds, tax refund fraud commonly occurs when stolen identity information is used to file a tax return in the victim's name and the thief then gets the refund that would be due to the victim.

Tax refund fraud has previously been reported in Union County and the State's Attorney's Office urges the public to protect identifying documents and information as the tax deadline approaches.

Members of the public with questions or reporting suspicious activity may call the Union County State's Attorney's Office at 618-833-7216 or the IRS Protection Specialized Unit, toll-free at 1-800-908-4490.

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Anna beating suspects facing new felony charges

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Friday, March 15th, 2013, 2:06pm

Damian Tracy says he and a couple of his friends were riding around on Saturday night, and that they were drinking.

ANNA, IL (KFVS)- A brutal beating of a sixteen year old Anna boy sends him to the hospital and four other teenagers to jail. Now the teens behind bars are facing new charges.

According to Union County State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds, the four teens accused now face one count each of felony mob action. They four are already facing charges of felony aggravated battery.

Damian Tracy says he and a couple of his friends were riding around on Saturday night, and that they were drinking.

Shortly before 7 p.m. that night they decided to stop off at a popular teen hangout in Anna, known as 'The Sneak.'

"I remember coming back to 'The Sneak" and them dropping me off so they could go drink some more," said Tracy." And that's really all I remember after that."

Damian says he doesn't remember being hit in the head with a baseball bat, and waking up in the Union County Hospital several hours later.

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Memorial fund set up for Jonesboro man killed in ATV crash

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Thursday, March 14th, 2013, 9:10am

Stephen Wheaton (Photo provided by family)

JONESBORO, IL (KFVS)- A Union County man is dead after an ATV crash west of Jonesboro, Illinois near Route 146.

According to the sheriff's office, the incident was reported around 7:40 Wednesday morning.

Stephen Wheaton, 28, of rural Jonesboro was killed.

Crash investigators say the ATV appeared to have overturned down an embankment, coming to a rest in a creek where he was pinned underneath.

The investigation is ongoing.

Wheaton was the father of three young children.

Funeral services will be announced soon. A memorial fund will be set up for Wheaton at Anna-Jonesboro National Bank.

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Victim hospitalized after beating in Anna

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013, 2:00pm

Anna police say the beating happened around the area of South St. and Church St. near a parking lot and alley.

ANNA, IL (KFVS)- The Anna Police Department is investigating after they found someone who had been beaten Saturday night.

Police say it happened around 7 p.m. Saturday. Anna police say the beating happened around the area of South St. and Church St. near a parking lot and alley.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a male had been beaten and needed medical treatment.

He was taken to Union County Hospital and later to a St. Louis hospital.

The police department is following up on leads at this time and will forward all information to the state's attorney for aggravated battery charges.

The father of the victim says his son was walking at a St. Louis hospital and that he is healing, but has a long road for recovery

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4 in custody in connection to teen's beating

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013, 1:55pm

ANNA, IL (KFVS)- Anna Police Chief Dale Foster says four teenagers were taken into police custody in connection to a beating over the weekend.

According to Chief Foster, 17-year-old Damian Martin; 18-year-old Clint Hileman; 18-year-old James Davis and 19-year-old Bruel Miller were arrested on warrants for aggravated battery. They were taken into custody on Tuesday around 7 p.m.

All four suspects were taken to the Jackson County Jail on $100,000 bond each.

The incident happened in a municipal parking lot on the 300 block of South Street in Anna.

The 16-year-old victim was taken to Union County Hospital and later to a St. Louis hospital.

The father of the victim says his son was walking at a St. Louis hospital and that he is healing, but has a long road for recovery.

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West Frankfort man sentenced to four years for theft

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Thursday, March 7th, 2013, 5:24pm

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (KFVS)- Union County State's Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds announced Thursday that a West Frankfort man was sentenced to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Johnny E. Layne, 45, was sentenced on one count of theft, a class 3 felony.

According to Edmonds, Layne agreed to perform tree-trimming work for an Anna homeowner in May 2011. He said Layne was paid $1,130 up front and never returned to perform the work.

Layne was charged following an investigation by the Anna Police Department.

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Illinois Department of Corrections sentences four people

Submitted by Steve Pobst on Thursday, March 7th, 12:17 pm

UNION COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Union County State’s Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds announced today that the following people were sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections:

Derek B. Reigert, 22, of Delta, Missouri has been sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on one count of Attempted Theft, a Class 4 Felony. Reigert was arrested in November 2012 by Union County Sheriff’s Deputies after he attempted to remove copper wire from an agriculture irrigation system located near Wolf Lake, Illinois.

Ebony A. Bradley, 29, of Carbondale, Illinois has been sentenced to eighteen months in the Illinois Department of Corrections on one count of Petition to Revoke Probation for the original offense of Retail Theft, a Class 4 Felony. The sentence will run consecutively with the sentenced imposed in Williamson County, Illinois.

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