newsroom

Multiple search warrants in the City of E. St. Louis

On 04-24-09 at approximately 0800 hours the Special Response Team consisting of members from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and Belleville Police Department and members of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) executed three St. Clair County Drug Tactical Unit search warrants simultaneously at the following addresses in East Saint Louis Illinois:

2914 Renshaw Ave, E. St. Louis, IL

716 North 72^nd Street, E. St. Louis IL

723 North 72^nd Street, E. St. Louis IL

The occupants of each residence have been under investigation for several months for selling controlled substances. The investigations originated in Belleville and other areas of the county but it was determined the drugs were coming from E. St. Louis area. The three primary targets of the investigation all have previous State and/or Federal felony convictions for drugs and/or weapons and have been known to travel to various communities in St. Clair County to sell drugs.

“During the execution of the search warrants six people were taken into custody and controlled substances, weapons, assault rifles and bulletproof vest were located and seized at evidence. All six subjects are in custody at the St. Clair County Jail pending further investigation and warrant application at the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office” said, Sgt. William Kenny.

“The St. Clair County Drug Tactical Unit has received numerous complaints from E. St. Louis residents about drug activity throughout the city. We are taking their complaints seriously and are working hard to reduce the amount of drug activity and associated violence” said, Sgt. William Kenny.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Sgt. William Kenny

Drug Tactical Unit Supervisor

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department

Teen strangler Sam Shelton faces June trial for hitting cops

BY BETH HUNDSDORFER - News-Democrat

Former high school teacher Samson Shelton, who is serving prison time for trying to strangle a teenager and leaving her for dead in a Belleville park, will go on trial for assaulting police officers and medical personnel during a suicide attempt.

Samson "Sam" Shelton, 29, will stand trial on six counts of aggravated assault on June 22. Shelton attacked sheriff's deputies and paramedics who responded to his home after he overdosed on prescription medication on May 9, 2007.

"We do plan on going forward to trial," said St. Clair County State's Attorney Bob Haida.

Sam Shelton in a recent state prison photo. - Provided/BND

Under Illinois law, if Shelton is convicted, he must serve his sentence after he completes his current sentence for the attempted murder of Ashley Reeves, Haida said.

Shelton, a former driver's education teacher at Freeburg High School and professional wrestler, pleaded guilty in 2007 to the attempted murder of teenager Reeves and received a 20 year prison sentence.

Reeves, now 20, was found in the undergrowth of a Belleville park on April 29, 2006. Investigators said Shelton told them he was trying to break off a relationship with Reeves two days earlier when she became unruly and her neck popped during a struggle. He then tried to strangle her three times with a belt.

Reeves suffered a brain injury, spent two weeks in a hospital, then nearly a month in a rehabilitation center.

Shelton remains in Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.

He is currently scheduled for release in 2024.

Belleville News Democrat

Police use checkpoints to catch drunken motorists entering East St. Louis

BY JACQUELINE LEE AND CAROLYN P. SMITH - News-Democrat

EAST ST. LOUIS -- Law enforcement officials made it clear to motorists early Saturday that they were not tolerating any illegal activity as they towed more than 30 cars and made about the same number of arrests at safety check points.

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department had 25 deputies and Illinois State Police had 25 troopers participate in the operation designed to curb the crime that results from intoxicated motorists driving to the nightclubs in East St. Louis after liquor establishments in St. Louis close.