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Illinois Valley

Ottawa man with ankle monitor facing additional drug charges

Judge revokes Chaney’s pretrial release after drug seizure

Dylan P. Chaney

An Ottawa man was ordered detained Wednesday after being charged twice with drugs, both times while wearing an ankle monitor.

Dylan P. Chaney, 30, appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court for a detention hearing after prosecutors filed a new charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (cocaine).

According to open court statements, Chaney fled an Ottawa traffic stop, and a pursuing officer observed him throw an object as he ran; the object retrieved was a baggie, and inside was contraband that field-tested positive for cocaine.

It was Chaney’s second drug charge in two months. Both crimes were allegedly committed while he was under GPS monitoring.

On Sept. 9, La Salle County prosecutors filed a felony possession charge along with a motion to revoke Chaney’s pretrial release. Chaney was lucky then: The judge opted for sanctions, 30 days in jail, and gave him another crack at pretrial release.

Chaney’s luck ran out Wednesday. Prosecutor Ryan Cantlin argued that the state had tried every conceivable condition of release, and that Chaney, who scored high on a risk assessment, didn’t deserve another try.

In response, Public Defender Ryan Hamer argued that Chaney had a limited criminal history and that his flight was a panicked reaction.

“It sounds like he just got scared and ran off,” Hamer said. “When the officers got him, he was cooperative.”

Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni was unpersuaded and revoked Chaney’s pretrial release.

“He’s continued to commit crimes while he’s out on pretrial release,” the judge said.

Chaney will stay in the La Salle County Jail until trial, which is pending. He will next appear in court Nov. 17.

Tom Collins

Tom Collins

Tom Collins covers criminal justice in La Salle County.