Olney Sex offender sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on new crimes against children

BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a registered sex offender to 35 years’ imprisonment after he admitted to distributing child pornography and obscene material to a minor.

Edward J. Bates, 57, most recently of Olney, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of distribution of child pornography, two counts of attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and one count of offense by a registered sex offender. Following imprisonment, Bates will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.

“The only thing worse than child sex offenses is an armed repeat offender,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This 35-year sentence underscores our commitment to seeking the most significant sentences possible for those who endanger kids.”

According to court documents, Bates distributed child pornography in Richland County on January 26, 2022. In April 2023, he transferred sexually explicit material to a 10-year-old minor. On June 4, 2024, Bates was found in possession of two firearms and ammunition as a felon.

Bates was previously convicted of two separate child pornography offenses and was therefore required to register as a sex offender. The Government seized a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a .38 caliber revolver and ammunition.

The Richland County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

Illinois unveils plans to celebrate 250 years of American independence

The programs will seek to highlight local histories and celebrate Illinois’s achievements

By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY
Capitol News Illinois
mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com 

Article Summary 

  • The Illinois America 250 Commission is gearing up to organize programming across the state to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

  • The initiative will seek to highlight local histories from across the state through archival projects, a youth art contest, a commemorative state “passport” and more.

  • A $300,000 investment from the Illinois Arts Council will provide $15,000 grants to 20 public art installations across the state.

  • The nonprofit Illinois Humanities will work with the American Indian Association of Illinois to bring stories of tribal contributions on the road across the state.

This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story. 

CHICAGO — Gov. JB Pritzker joined the Illinois America 250 Commission at Navy Pier Wednesday to announce plans for commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence.

Commission members include volunteers from civic, nonprofit, educational, arts and business spaces, as well as Native and tribal leaders.

“We’re showcasing the way Illinoisians have, even before we became a state and right up until now, made good on the ideals of the Declaration of Independence,” Gabrielle Lyon, chair of the commission and executive director of the nonprofit Illinois Humanities said, pulling out her pocket copy of the Declaration.

“Our country, we’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go to make good on the promises in this little book,” Lyon added. “1776, 1976 left out a lot of voices. In 2026, Illinois America 250 is really working to invite everyone in.”

Uplifting local stories

The initiative will center programming on uplifting local stories across the state. It will include a youth art contest, an archival project to record residents’ reflections on the 250th anniversary in the Library of Congress, and a statewide engagement effort around volunteering, which will commence on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Lyon said the commission had seen lots of excitement about the programming, with 200 organizations signing up as partners and 68 counties involved in planning. Hundreds of museums, cultural institutions and historic sites are also hosting events tied to the anniversary, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

The state’s tourism office has partnered with the Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Association of Museums to create a keepsake “passport” that will feature historic and culturally significant locations across the state. 

Tribal recognition

Some of the focus will be on recognizing tribal histories and contributions that predate the Declaration. That effort will be led in part by commission member Dorene Wiese, a member of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation and chief executive officer of the American Indian Association of Illinois.

Wiese announced she will be working with Illinois Humanities over the coming year to bring stories from her tribe’s history on the road to locations throughout the state. 

“This period of time in history is a period where all of us have the opportunity to study the many different tribes that were in this country before the United States was formed,” Wiese said. 

Wiese also highlighted the cultural contributions of present-day tribal members.

“We have such incredible artists and oral historians and writers and filmmakers, photographers,” Wiese said. “We would like people to discover them and also they would like to share their gifts with you.”

Tourism and art 

The commission also hopes the programs will bring more tourism dollars into the state, continuing a trend from last year, in which nearly 113 million people visited Illinois, about a half a million more than the prior year. Those visitors spent a record $48.5 million dollars, according to Catie Sheehan, deputy director of the Illinois Office of Tourism. 

“That’s a lot of deep-dish pizza and Abe Lincoln souvenirs,” Sheehan said. 

Read more: Growing number of visitors discovering southern Illinois as travel destination

Nora Daley, chair of the Illinois Arts Council and daughter of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, announced that the council would be investing $300,000 for 20 public art projects across the state. Each project is intended to honor the history of the state.

“These projects show how art can energize local communities and economies and deepen our sense of place across Illinois,” Daley said.

Those who want to get involved with Illinois America 250 events can find more information on the public calendar at www.il250.org/events. 

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.


Gabrielle Lyon, chair of the Illinois America 250 Commission and executive director of Illinois Humanities speaks about the commemoration plans at Navy Pier on Dec. 3. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)

911 call leads to birth of a beautiful baby girl!

On December 4, 2025, at 12:14 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received 911 report of a woman in labor at the Flying J. Truck Stop located at 844 E. 1250 South near Haubstadt.  Deputy Levi Sims, who was on routine patrol, happened to be at the intersection of Interstate 64 and US 41 heard the initial call go out and went to find the family.  Upon arriving at the business Deputy Sims was flagged down by the father.  Gibson County Central Dispatch reported that Deputy Sims had arrived within a minute of the Fire and Ambulance crews being dispatched.  Ultimately Deputy Sims delivered the child placing it in the arms of the mother while he tied the umbilical cord. 
 
Upon arriving Haubstadt Fire and a Gibson County Ambulance took over care when they arrived.  The young family was transported to an Evansville area hospital to continue medical care and to celebrate this Christmas miracle.
 
At 8:15 a.m. The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office received a “Commend an Officer” report from the young mother who stated:
 
“This morning on December 4th an officer arrived at the Denny’s truck stop to help me and my fiancé bring our second daughter into the world.  It was so hectic, and we were so tired, but we are so grateful for him!  He did an amazing job helping!”
 

RMC Stores Hosting Special Friday Shopping Day

Tomorrow’s Christmas Uptown in Mt. Carmel is sponsored by the Wabash County Retail Merchants Committee in an effort to attract holiday shoppers to town. To help spur shopping even more tomorrow, Christmas Uptown spokesman Terry Beckerman says the Secret Santa Day is back for a third year…

The easiest way to find out what’s going on tomorrow and where all of the events can be found is downloading the Christmas Uptown app on your Apple and Android devices. Christmas Uptown is tomorrow from 4 to 9pm.

Mt. Carmel Senior Earns Full Ride To Harvard

Mount Carmel High School senior Aiden McBroom has earned a historic academic honor. On December 1st, McBroom was named a QuestBridge National College Match Scholar, receiving a full four-year scholarship to Harvard College.

According to school officials, McBroom is believed to be the first student in MCHS history to attend an Ivy League university. The scholarship covers the complete cost of attendance at Harvard—including tuition, housing, meals, fees, and other expenses.

McBroom, a first-generation, low-income student, says the opportunity is life-changing and made possible by the support of his family, teachers, and the Mount Carmel community.

At Harvard, he plans to study mathematics and philosophy with hopes of entering the field of quantitative finance. McBroom also runs a local tutoring and music-lesson business and is active in tennis, scholar bowl, and the CEO program.

Photo Credit: Aiden McBroom Facebook Page

Evansville Man Faces Various Charges Following Wabash County Traffic Stop

On November 28, 2025, at approximately 2052 hours, a Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 1 South for a traffic violation.

During the stop, the driver—Jordan T. Emery, 34, of Evansville, Indiana—was found to have an outstanding Wabash County warrant. Further investigation led to additional charges.

Emery was charged with:

  • Possession of Methamphetamine

  • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

  • Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon

  • Unlawful Possession of a Weapon

  • Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

Emery was transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he remains in custody.

A detention hearing was held on December 2, 2025, during which it was determined that Emery would be held over for trial.

Taxpayers Not Wasting Any Time Paying Taxes

After receiving their property tax bills in the last week, Wabash County taxpayers haven’t wasted any time getting their taxes paid as Treasurer Angela Broster reported to the county board on Monday…

The first installment of taxes is due January 9th while the second installment is due February 9th.

County Clerk Janet Will is reminding all Wabash County taxing bodies that their tax levies must be filed with her office on or before December 30th.