Crime Brief | Illinois Valley
A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.
Statistically, drunk-driving is headed for a 30% increase this year. But is the increase because DUIs are surging or because recent years had been artificially low? Police and lawyers weigh in.
Tired of suspects missing court dates and tampering with ankle bracelets, La Salle County judges were handing down multiple 30-day jail sentences. The judges may have to stop. An appeals court has capped the time a defendant can fetch for pre-trial violations
Kill someone in a drunk-driving accident and a judge can jail you pending trial. But can someone be detained for an alcohol-related crash with injuries? A DuPage County man will find out Friday.
A Spring Valley man pleaded guilty Friday to possessing a stolen gun – seized after he ran from a traffic stop – and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing on Aug. 13.
Logan Petre argued he didn’t get a fair shake when he was sentenced for strangling his father. Petre struck out and keeps his 52 years in prison. There may be more prison time on the way.
An appeals court acknowledged that his English was bad – and that the cops’ Spanish wasn’t that great, either – but the language barrier wasn’t enough for Roberto Carias-Moran to reverse his drug conviction and 30-year sentence.
A Streator man charged with sexually abusing a dog has been granted pre-trial release, albeit with multiple conditions.
A Streator man faces up to three years in prison if convicted of sexually abusing a dog.
A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.
A La Salle County grand jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.
Judge Greg Sticka was sworn in Friday, May 15, 2026, during a ceremony at La Salle County Circuit Court. The 54-year-old will hear cases in Bureau County, however.
Casey left the courtroom on Friday without a new trial setting but with a hearing on a motion to dismiss charges on the grounds of tainted evidence.
A Streator man who had pleaded guilty to a drug charge – and to jumping out of a squad car – was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison.
A Streator man pleaded guilty Friday to setting up a 2024 robbery – and to firing a gun when things went awry – and faces up 20 years in prison at sentencing.
A La Salle man was ordered detained Wednesday after a traffic stop in Ottawa yielded 8 grams of suspected cocaine and a loaded .45-caliber handgun.
A La Salle County grand Jury convened Tuesday and returned the following indictments.
A Streator killer serving an effective life sentence (parole date: 2117) struck out Friday in his bid for a reduced prison time. Malcolm Whitfield's loss in court means he now can turn to an appeals court.