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Two sex offenders arrested for failing to file address change

News-Democrat

Two convicted sex offenders were arrested this week on charges of failing to notify police of a change of address in St. Clair County.

William H. Owens, 30, and John J. Burton, 44, were each charged with a felony of unlawful failure to notify of a change of address as a sex offender, said St. Clair County Sheriff Dept. Capt. Steve Johnson.

Owens had been living with his girlfriend and 10-year-old child for the past several months at 103 Southern Drive, Lot No. 1, near Caseyville, police said. Owens, who had last registered as living at 24 Leonard Drive in Cahokia, also had an active bench warrant for traffic violations. He was charged Tuesday and remains in the St. Clair County Jail on $21,000 bail.

Burton had been living for the past month at the Comfort Inn, 1100 East Gate in O'Fallon, police said. He had last registered as living at 1206 Scott-Troy Road near Lebanon. He was charged Wednesday and is being held in jail on $20,000 bail.

Both men had each been previously charged for failing to register as a sex offender, Johnson said.

Three convicts get arrested again in St. Clair County

News-Democrat

Three convicted criminals are back in jail after they were accused of violating the terms of their probation or parole.

Two Lebanon men were arrested Thursday after officers served a warrant on their homes, according to police reports from the St. Clair County Sheriff' s Department.

Police had been tipped that two men were believed to be selling crack cocaine in Lebanon.

Erik D. Turner, 21, of 504 Plum St. in Lebanon, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He was out of jail on the St. Clair County Intensive Probation program when he was arrested. He was convicted in 2007 of the unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Turner is being held in the St. Clair County jail in lieu of a $50,000 bail.

Jamorris J. Wright, 22, of 608 W. Schuetz, Apt. 4, in Lebanon, also was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of firearm ammunition by a felon.

Wright was on parole for a June 2005 conviction of the unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

He is being held at the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of a $15,000 bail.

Ra T. Jones, 29, of 109 Friendly Drive in Belleville, was arrested Wednesday after a traffic stop at Illinois 15 near Centerville Avenue in Belleville. Wright was driving a 2007 Dodge Magnum when a sheriff's deputy pulled him over for having dark tinted windows and not displaying a registration sticker on the vehicle, according to the police report. The officer smelled marijuana from inside the vehicle and a subsequent search of the vehicle located more than 30 grams of marijuana and a loaded semi-automatic Ruger stashed in the center console of the vehicle. The gun was loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, according to the report.

Jones was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

Jones was serving a five-year federal supervised release for a federal conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver more than 100 kilos of marijuana. He was convicted in October 2002 and sentenced to serve 63 months in federal prison.

He was released from federal prison on Jan. 17, 2007.

Jones is being held in the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bail.

Robbery at Gas Mart

ARMED ROBBERY PRESS RELEASE:

On 03-11-08 at 11:53 PM the St. Clair County Sheriff’s department was dispatched to gas mart at 5904 Old Saint Louis Road, Belleville in reference to a robbery.  K-9 Deputy Jason Robertson and his K-9 Marley were first to arrive.  Belleville police assisted.  A male clerk had been battered by a suspect who demanded money from the clerk and the cash register.  The clerk was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and later released. 

Sheriff’s K-9 tracked where the suspect ran from the store around the west side and towards the back to a close subdivision.  The K-9 lost scent upon reaching a nearby road.  It is believed the suspect may have gotten into a vehicle at that time.

Illinois State Police Crime Scene responded to the scene to process for evidence.  Deputies and Belleville Police searched the area.

The suspect is described as:

About 6’00” to 6’02”, slender 180 to 200lbs,

Black male,

Black stocking cap,

Brown work-type gloves,

Black in color Blue jeans pants,

Red long sleeve t-shirt with black lettering on the front,

and white vertical lines on the sleeves,

Black tennis shoes,

Victim describes the suspect in his 40s,

More photos here.

Wanted Poster here.