BY CAROLYN P. SMITH - News-Democrat
EAST ST. LOUIS -- Three people went to jail Thursday after they were stopped by police on a traffic violation at 58th and State streets and police found loaded weapons, drugs and some stolen savings bonds.
Ashley Jones, 21, of the 500 block of Williams in Shiloh, was charged with residential burglary; Dustin Middendorf, 22, of Baldwin, was charged with residential burglary; and Daniel Poole, 23, of the 600 block of State Street in Belleville, was charged with residential burglary and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Jones was being held in the East St. Louis jail in lieu of $75,000 bail. She is scheduled to be taken to the St. Clair County Jail by Monday.
Ashley Jones - Provided/BND
Poole and Middendorf were each being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Four agencies were involved in the case: Randolph County, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, St. Clair County and East St. Louis.
The suspects were stopped at 58th and State Streets in East St. Louis at 7 p.m. Thursday after a white Ford driven by Middendorf crossed the median.
An officer with a police dog stopped the car and saw a woman put something under a seat in the car.
The dog indicated there were drugs in the car, East St. Louis Detective Marion Riddle said.
"The subjects in the car were searched," Riddle said. "Poole had a loaded handgun on him."
When police searched the vehicle, "they found additional guns, savings bonds, jewelry and other items in the trunk of the car," Riddle said.
St. Clair County sheriff's Capt. Steve Johnson said Investigator Pat Walters investigated the case in St. Clair County.
"The suspects burglarized a house in rural New Athens and stole $98,000 worth of savings bonds. They were recovered," Johnson said.
"They also stole four shotguns, one rifle, one pistol, two DVD players and a large amount of jewelry," Johnson said.
Johnson added, "The East St. Louis police officer who made this traffic stop, Kendall Perry, did an excellent job in catching these guys. As a result of his traffic stop of these individuals, numerous other crimes are still being investigated."
Riddle said the suspects told police they were riding through East St. Louis while on their way to the strip club in Washington Park.
Contact reporter Carolyn P. Smith at 239-2305.
