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St. Clair County Jail shut down for one day for massive jail shakedown.

St. Clair County Jail shut down for one day for massive jail shakedown.

On 12-18-08 at about 8:00 AM the St. Clair County Jail was in complete lockdown. This was a planned detail by Sheriff Mearl Justus to continuously ensure the safety of Officers, employees and detainees within the jail. “We conduct these shakedowns on a regular basis but at irregular intervals to keep inmates off guard,” said Sheriff Mearl Justus.

“This was one of the larger searches conducted at the St. Clair County Jail because we called on help from several other law enforcement agencies,” said Sgt. Thomas Trice, the detail supervisor. The following agencies sent law enforcement officers as well as police K-9s to assist with the search:

Belleville PD

Cahokia PD

Collinsville PD

Fairview Heights PD

Illinois State Police

Metro East Auto Task Force

United States Marshals Service

In all there were about 60 Officers (including 8 K-9s) from the Sheriff’s Department and these other agencies that searched over 300 inmates, cells and areas of the jail. No Officers were injured during the massive inmate movement and there was only one use of force incident. One inmate refused movement for a search and received minor injuring while resisting Officers.

No illegal items, per Illinois law, were discovered however a few items of jail contraband (per jail rules) were found including two “jail made” shanks and “jail made” tattoo kits. All items were confiscated and those inmates are facing jail sanctions.

“The two shanks found show the dangers that Correctional Officers face everyday. The lack of finding other significant items, in a jail as large as this, demonstrates the tremendous job Officers at the St. Clair County Jail do everyday,” said Sgt. Thomas Trice.

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Captain Steve Johnson

Chief Investigator

Criminal Investigation Section

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, 618-277-3505 x5715

Two 18-year-olds charged in armed robbery, home invasion

BY JACQUELINE LEE - News-Democrat

Two 18-year-old men were charged Friday with one count each of armed robbery and residential burglary in connection with an armed robbery at the Chenot Place subdivision in unincorporated Belleville and a home invasion in Belleville.

Octavion D. Brooks of 6016 W. A St. in Belleville and Eric L. Frazier Jr. of 111 Edding Lane in Fairview Heights are being held at the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail for the armed robbery and $75,000 bail for the residential burglary, Capt. Steve Johnson said in a news release.

Brooks is accused of putting a gun to a man's head and taking his wallet. The victim was walking through the subdivision at the time of the robbery.

Eric L. Frazier Jr. - Provided to BND

Brooks and Frazier then fled in a vehicle from the scene when deputies responded to the subdivision at about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Johnson said.

Deputies took Frazier, the driver, into custody and interviewed him, which led to Brooks' arrest, who was found hiding in a closet in the 6000 block of West A Street in Belleville. Brooks then led police to an area between houses and near an elementary school to recover the Browning pistol he had thrown during his escape.

Police found the victim's wallet in the vehicle.

They also found a loaded shotgun and a box of crackers that were taken from a home invasion Sunday in the 2600 block of Eastview Drive in Belleville.

Johnson said that suspects had used a pistol to shoot out a sliding glass door at the home on Eastview Drive. The home invasion victim hid in the bathroom during the break-in.

Contact reporter Jacqueline Lee atjlee@bnd.com or 239-2655.

Mascoutah man leads police on chase through farm fields

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008

BY JENNIFER BOWEN - News-Democrat

A Mascoutah man accused of battering a family member led police on a chase through farm fields Thursday evening.

Eric M. Schneidewind, 21, of 6100 Illinois 15 in Mascoutah, is charged with resisting arrest after St. Clair County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to a call to the home for a domestic battery in progress. According to the police report, the phone was taken away from the victim by Schneidewind.

When deputies arrived at the home, they saw Schneidewind run out of the back door of the home and across the backyard into farm fields. Deputy Matthew Dobler jumped out of his squad car and chased Schneidewind.

Eric M. Schneidewind. - Provided to BND

"After the suspect ran, an investigator chased him on foot," said St. Clair County Sheriff's Department Capt. Steve Johnson. "He comandeered a four-wheeler, tackled him, put him on the front of the four-wheeler for transport back, and then the victim did not want to prosecute."

Police have been called to the residence several times in for domestic batteries, Johnson said.

Although the victim didn't want to press charges, the St. Clair County state's attorney issued a warrant for resisting arrest because Schneidewind ran from deputies.

Schneidewind remains in the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of a $7,500 bond.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bowen atjbowen@bnd.com or 239-2667.

Dupo homeowner thwarts, handcuffs burglar

News-Democrat

A Dupo resident fought back and made a citizen's arrest when a man attempted to rob his home in the middle of the day.

A St. Clair County Sheriff's deputy responded at 1:16 p.m., Dec. 3, to a burglary in progress call in the 2800 block of Stolle Road in Dupo.

When deputy Cerether White arrived he found Eric L. Kirk, 35, of 117 S. Fourth St. in Dupo handcuffed outside the home with the 35-year-old homeowner kneeling on him.

Eric L. Kirk - Provided to BND

The homeowner told White that Kirk had knocked on his door and he didn't recognize him when he looked out the window. The homeowner tried to run the license plate on a blue minivan Kirk was standing near but could not read the entire plate so he decided to get his gun, according to the police report.

When the homeowner, whose name was not released by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, retrieved his gun and returned to the door his dogs started barking. That's when he noticed Kirk and the van were gone. He then saw the van backed up to his garage and Kirk using a crow bar to try to open the homeowner's garage door.

The homeowner called 911 to report the crime in progress and then fired two rounds into the ground near Kirk.

According to the police report Kirk ran to the van and attempted to get away when the homeowner grabbed him, wrestled him to the ground and slapped handcuffs on him with the assistance of a neighbor.

"After interviewing the victim and a witness, the victim shot his firearm in defense of his life and his home," said Capt. Steve Johnson, chief investigator for the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department. "Although law enforcement never wants citizens to take the law into their own hands, in this incident it was a volatile situation."

Kirk has been charged with attempted burglary. His bail is set at $25,000 and he remains in custody in the St. Clair County Jail.

Three men sought on drug-related charges

BY JENNIFER BOWEN - News-Democrat

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department is looking for three men who have been charged with felony drug-related offenses.

The St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office issued 10 felony warrants on nine suspects based on investigations conducted by the St. Clair County Drug Tactical Unit over the past several months in several metro-east communities.

Six of the suspects were arrested Wednesday during a sweep by the St. Clair County Patrol Division, the Criminal Investigation Section, the Street Crimes Unit, the Drug Tactical Unit, members of the Belleville Police Department and the Illinois State Police MEGSI Unit.

Antwyne L. Warren. - Provided to BND

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