Marion Man Sentenced to 8+ Years in Prison on Child Pornography Charges

BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Marion man to 97 months’ imprisonment for receiving and possessing child pornography.

Michael D. Mitchell, 36, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute individuals who view and upload child sexual abuse material, and a federal prison sentence is warranted for those who contribute to the online sexual exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I commend our FBI partners for their efforts to identify and investigate child predators.”

According to court documents, federal law enforcement received an online tip from an internet platform for a user uploading child pornography. Agents tracked the IP address associated with the user to Mitchell’s Marion residence. Following a subsequent search of Mitchell’s phone, agents recovered eight items of child sexual abuse material.

“This case demonstrates the effectiveness of the FBI’s partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “FBI Springfield opened this investigation based on a tip from NCMEC’s Cyber Tipline which allows parents and children to report child sexual abuse material and other incidents of sexual exploitation of children. Thanks to that tip, another offender is behind bars, no longer able to contribute to the spread of child sexual abuse material.”

Upon release from prison, the judge ordered Mitchell to serve five years of supervised release.

The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Hazleton man arrested for attempting to interfere with drug screen

On September 18, 2024, at 9 a.m. Gibson County Community Corrections personnel reached out to Sheriff Bruce Vanoven to inform him that a client had attempted to use a device to interfere with a probation mandated urine test.  Sheriff Vanoven went to the Community Corrections facility and began an investigation into the incident.  In doing so he collected statements from Facility Officer Tracy Hurst who recovered device and placed the client into an interview room.  Sheriff Vanoven then questioned 29 year old Dakota Whitehouse of Hazleton about the incident.  At the conclusion of his investigation he placed Mr. Whitehouse into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with a B Misdemeanor of Interfering with a Drug or Alcohol Screening Test.

 All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

IECC Board of Trustees Report

The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday night, September 17th at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Illinois.

IECCEA Representative Rob Mason presented the Board with results of a faculty survey. Chancellor Gower updated the Board on capital projects and solicited Board direction on Procedure 300.17 pertaining to usage of IECC facilities.

The Board approved the minutes of the Board of Trustees meeting held on August 20, 2024.

The 2024 Annual Security Report, 2024 Emergency Response Plans, and an updated Violence Prevention Plan were accepted by the Board. The Board approved the SAFE (Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies) Memoranda of Understanding, PREVAIL (Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act) Memoranda of Understanding, and a Memorandum of Understanding with Wabash General Hospital for a Paramedic Education Program.

Affiliation agreements were approved with Deaconess Gibson Hospital; DeveloPeds Therapy LLC (PTA); Edwards County Ambulance Service; Hella Healthcare of Olney LLC; Oakview Nursing and Rehab; ProRehab, Inc (PTA); Providence Medical Group; Richland County TB and Health Office; Richland Nursing & Rehab; Wayne County Ambulance; Healthcare Therapy Services, Inc. (PTA); Lawrence County Memorial Hospital; The Carle Foundation; Hospital Sisters Health System; Indiana University Health, Inc. (PTA); and Select Rehab (PTA).

The Board received official notice of the dates concerning the elections to the Board of Trustees that will occur on April 1, 2025. Nominating petitions may be picked up at the District office and the filing period is from November 12 to November 18, 2024. The IECC Board has three Trustees who have terms that are expiring. Trustees will be running for two 6-year terms and one 3-year term. The Board approved the appointment of Sonja Wease as the Election official and the appointment of Sheryl Childers to be the Assistant Election Official.

Board waived a a second reading and approved revisions to the following policies:

• State Gift Ban Act Policy 100.20. 2

• Background Check Determination Policy 500.22 to improve clarity, and the authority references were updated.

• New Prohibiting Sex Discrimination Policy 100.42 to align with the implementation date of the new regulations and deletion of Preventing Sexual Misconduct Policy 100.31.

The Board approved support for the amendment to the Robinson Crawford Enterprise Zone.

The following was approved as part of the personnel report: Approval of employment for Mandy Grepares as Coordinator of Academic Affairs effective September 23, 2024 and position title change for Jamie Carman from Director of Academic Advising and Records to Director of Academic Advising effective September 23, 2024.

Proposed non-college employment was approved for Joseph Brown at JB Express Transportation LLC in Cisne, IL and KTDA Trucking in Mt. Erie, IL.

Resignations were approved for Phil Britton as Head Baseball Coach at Olney Central College effective September 13, 2024; Amanda Kotch as Distance Learning Specialist, Title III effective September 20, 2024; Trevin Milner as Coordinator of Public Information and Marketing at Frontier Community College effective September 27, 2024.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 6:15 p.m. at Frontier Community College, Fairfield, IL.

Gibson County Sheriff's Department Warns Of Jury Duty Scam

From Gibson County Sheriff’s Department:

Be aware of jury duty scams.

We had a report of somebody claiming to be Officer Davis with our department calling people and saying they missed jury duty and that there are now warrants issued for their arrest.

They then ask for personal information and payment information to cancel the warrant.

This is a scam!  

We will not ask for any kind of payment to cancel a warrant.  If there is an actual warrant, it will be something you have to take care of by coming to jail.

The Sheriff's Office does make phone calls regarding jury duty, but we also send letters in the mail.

E-Bike Crash Sends Mt. Carmel Woman To Evansville Hospital

On 9/17/24, at 4:32 pm, Mt. Carmel Police responded to a vehicle versus e-bike collision on Hydraulic Ave just north of the 4th Street intersection.  MCPD along with the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office, Wabash General Ambulance Service, and Mt. Carmel Fire Department responded to the scene and found that a black e-bike, operated by Stephanie A. Holder, age 40, of Mt. Carmel, was traveling northbound when she collided with a white 2002 Dodge truck operated by a 17-year-old male juvenile traveling southbound.  Holder was taken to an Evansville, Indiana area hospital with significant injuries.  A witness near the old Twin Rivers Restaurant noted the Dodge did not appear to be speeding or driving recklessly, before the collision.  Another individual on a different motorized bike was unharmed as they traveled ahead of Holder.  The cause of the collision remains under investigation. 

911 Mapping Helps Locate Domestic Violence Incident

On 9/16/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested William D. Smith, age 29, currently of Mt. Carmel for Domestic Battery.  On this date, Wabash County 911 received a 911 call where a male subject could be heard making threats of harm to a female subject.  While the telecommunicator could not speak to the caller, they utilized 911 mapping in an attempt to locate the address.  Eventually, officers determined the location in question was a home located in the 900 block of W 5th Street.    Officers arrived to the area and could continue to hear yelling and threats until they made contact.  The above defendant answered the door and was detained pending further investigation.  The officers confirmed this individual was the male subject in question and that he was in a relationship with the female.  The female acknowledged making the call, that the male subject had battered her, and that he would not let her leave the home.  The homeowner was present and also confirmed these ongoing domestic issues.  Smith was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending a pre-trial release determination by the court.

Traffic Stop Leads To Arrest Of Princeton Man On Drug Charge

On 9/08/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Paul E. Spade, age 43, of Princeton, Indiana for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia following a traffic stop.  Before the stop, Spade, who was operating a black Chevrolet, had violated the Illinois Vehicle Code in the 700 block of N Walnut Street.  During the stop, Ofc. Nelson and K-9 Eleven conducted a free-air narcotic sniff around the exterior of the Chevrolet.  K-9 Eleven alerted to the odor of narcotics.  Spade admitted there was a pipe to ingest drugs inside the vehicle.  Ofc. Nelson located a glass smoking device with a burnt methamphetamine residue inside it. Spade was taken to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged accordingly and later released on a Notice to Appear.

Mt. Carmel Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening To Kill His Neighbor

On 9/13/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Vincent A. Sutton, age 59, of Mt. Carmel for Aggravated Assault following a neighborhood incident in the 1100 block of West 6th Street.  Police were called to the scene regarding an allegation that Sutton had verbally threatened to kill his neighbor.  As officers investigated, they found Sutton running in a nearby yard.  The arresting officer approached the area and eventually found Sutton lying in the grass.  Sutton was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail.  Sutton was charged and later released on a Notice to Appear.  MCPD was assisted by the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office.

Public Meeting On New Pool Set For Next Week

If you have questions or would like to find out more about the proposed new aquatic center in Mt. Carmel, Mayor Joe Judge says you can get answers at a public meeting next week…

JOE JUDGE POOL MEETING 9 16 24

Voters in November will decide whether to approve a property tax increase that would be used to help pay for the $8 million pool. The Illinois Department of Public Health has effectively shut down the city pool from operation in 2025. Judge said the pumps at the pool are being removed and repurposed within the city. He said the pumps are the only equipment able to be salvaged from the facility.

Bleyer Comments On Loss Of COVID Money

Now that the COVID money spigot from Washington has been shut off, Wabash District #348 seems to be better positioned than other school districts. At Monday’s school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer said many districts hired additional staff members with the extra COVID money. Bleyer said District #348 went a different route with the roughly $4 million the district received…

DR. CHUCK BLEYER NOT OVEREXTEND COVID 9 16 24

One other note about finances, Bleyer pointed out that the district receives about $850,000 a year from the 1% local sales tax.