Pike County Court sentenced one woman yesterday in court for several crimes. 44 year old Jacki C. McLaughlin of Greenview was sentenced to 7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to the offenses of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of residential burglary, and one count of unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
The investigation began on October 29th, 2019, when the Pike County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a residential burglary complaint on the Perry Fishhook Road, near Baylis. The homeowner came home and discovered money, firearms, and other items had been stolen from his residence. The Pike County Sheriff’s Department contacted Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services and requested assistance with the investigation.
Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services was able to collect physical evidence from the scene that was submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for analysis. The Illinois State Police Crime Lab was able to identify McLaughlin as a suspect. The Pike County Sheriff’s Department were able to locate McLaughlin in several different counties due to multiple arrest warrants.
On November 10th, 2019, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department responded to a second residential burglary complaint on the Perry Fishhook Road near Baylis. The homeowner reported several items had been stolen from his residence including televisions, firearms, and a truck. Later in the evening, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on the stolen truck. The driver, 43 year old William J. Williams,of Springfield was arrested and lodged in the Pike County Jail on a charge of Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle. Evidence seized from Williams during his arrest led the Pike County Sheriff’s Department to the whereabouts of McLaughlin.
Pike County Sheriff Zack Orr was able to pinpoint McLaughlin’s whereabouts from evidence seized in Williams’ arrest on November 12th; and with the assistance of the Menard County Sheriff’s Department, Greenview Police Department, and the Central Illinois Enforcement Group they were able to locate and arrest McLaughlin after a brief foot pursuit at a residence in the 300 block of Van Buren Street in Greenview in Menard County.
Upon arrest, Orr was able to to collect substantial information from McLaughlin about her involvement in residential burglaries, burglaries, and thefts throughout Pike County, Brown County, Morgan County, Sangamon County, and Menard County.
Orr said in a press release that he was proud of the multi-agency cooperation between from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Menard County Sheriff’s Department, and the Greenview Police Department. Orr was also thankful for the work of Illinois State Police Crime Scene Technician Brandi Field, who was able to collect crucial evidence at the crime scene at one of the residences on the Perry Fishhook Road that led to McLaughlin’s arrest.
McLaughlin’s co-defendant, William J. Williams, has a jury trial set for April 13th in Pike County Circuit Court.