Three jailed in Thomson meth, weapons bust

THOMSON – Two Thomson residents are facing felony meth and weapons charges after a “lengthy investigation” resulted in a search of a home in the 800 block of Locust Street around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Carroll County Sheriff Ryan Kloepping said in a news release this morning.

Drugs, paraphernalia and a stolen AR-15 were found in the home, and its three occupants were taken to Carroll County jail, Kloepping said.

Aaron N. King, 45, of Thomson, is charged with possession of more than 5 but less than 15 grams of methamphetamine, which carries at least 4 to 15 years; possession of a stolen firearm, punishable by 3 to 7 years; possession of a weapon by a felon and criminal fortification of a building, both of which carry 2 to 5 years; and misdemeanor possession of syringes and needles.

Bobbi Jo Erdmann, 42, of Thomson, is charged with possession of more than 5 but less than 15 grams of methamphetamine, possession of a stolen firearm, and criminal fortification of a building, as well as violating the FOID Act and possession of syringes and needles, both misdemeanors.

Rebecca S.J. Veselko, 45, of Miles, Iowa, is charged with possession of meth, which carries 2 to 5 years.

According to the probable cause affidavits, King and Erdmann live at the home. The AR-15 was behind the couch, a loaded magazine alongside it; a search of the serial number showed the gun was stolen.

Officers also found 6.5 grams of meth, two digital scales and seven cellphones, and outside, there were six cameras streaming live images to a monitor inside the home, and a hard drive to store the recordings, all indications of a narcotics operation, the affidavits said.

The Illinois State Police, its Swat team and its meth response team, assisted at the scene, the release said.

According to a probable cause affidavit, King was convicted of felonies in in 2004 and 2008; details of those crimes were not provided.

He also was convicted in 2016 in Whiteside County of aggravated DUI and driving on a suspended license and was sentenced to 5 years. He was sentenced to 3 years in 2000 for felony escape, also in Whiteside County, court records show.