A man has been arrested in connection to a series of ATM jackpotting schemes across Central Illinois and has been charged in federal court.

According to charging documents filed in the Central District Court of Illinois in Springfield, FBI agents have been investigating a series of incidents of ATM jackpotting where money was fraudulently obtained through mechanical means or exploiting software. The federal affidavit says 35 separate locations across the region have been hit since September 2024, with 4 incidents taking place in the month of March of this year. 

On February 24th, the Beardstown Police Department was notified by an employee of West Central Bank on Plaza Street that an ATM had been broken into. Officers investigated the incident and obtained security camera footage and observed individuals in a blue 2006 Toyota Corolla four-door sedan with noticeable and unique damage to a window and the vehicle’s trunk opening up the ATM. Through manipulation of the machine, one individual placed malicious software on the ATM before leaving. The blue car returned to the location and withdrew an undetermined amount of cash. The bank employee said that four of their other locations had also had their ATMs tampered with between February 23rd and 24th. Over $167,000 was removed from the locations. Through the use of the reports and the surveillance footage, officers were able to identify the driver of the vehicle during one of the instances as Brayan Perez Herrera. 

Herrera’s vehicle was then traced to a separate jackpotting incident in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa that occurred between January 31st and February 2nd. Herrera was apprehended by federal authorities on March 31st and remains in custody of the U.S. Marshal’s service at the Sangamon County Jail.

Herrera has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States by committing bank larceny and robbery. 

Herrera was formally indicted in Springfield federal court on Tuesday. His next court date was not listed in federal court records.

Two members of the Jacksonville community and three members of the Jacksonville Fire Department were honored by Jacksonville’s Captain Elijah Smith Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution on Monday night at the Jacksonville City Council meeting.

S-A-R President Sid Welles presented community member Steve Gilbreth, Wal-Mart employee Tory Bowen, firefighter Dan Hirter, firefighter Pat Longmeyer, and Jacksonville Fire Department Lieutenant Curt Rueter with distinguished service awards for saving the life of his wife Evelyn at Wal-Mart on September 20, 2024 after she had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest.

Gilbreth administered C-P-R while Bowen made the initial call to 9-1-1. Lieutenant Rueter says that Gilbreth went above and beyond to save Mrs. Welles’ life: “In this circumstance, we were dispatched at 7:27 and arrived on scene four minutes later at 7:31. When we made patient contact with Mrs. Welles, Mr. Gilbreth was obviously exhausted but still performing life-saving CPR. For perspective, we are trained to switch out every two minutes during CPR because it is exhausting. What Mr. Gilbreth did was above and beyond what we ask our EMS providers.”

Rueter stressed to the capacity crowd that bystander CPR is essential in preserving life. Each member of the group received a token and special certificate for playing a crucial role in saving Evelyn’s life.

Jacksonville Police Chief Doug Thompson announced today that the police department has taken possession of a new camera trailer from Utilitra that will be used in neighborhoods of concern.

The camera will not be covert and will be out in the public in plain sight. There will be JPD patches on the trailer along with red and blue flashing lights indicating its presence. The first few deployments of the camera will be in the municipal parking lot in the 200 block of South Sandy Street.

Moving forward the camera may be at events in the downtown plaza, community park, fairgrounds, and sporting events. Thompson thanked Morgan County Emergency Management and the Morgan County Fair Board for their assistance in purchasing the trailer.

A constituent in State Representative CD Davidsmeyer’s district was concerned that
their school’s bullying curriculum was not age-appropriate for her child in
elementary school. According to Davidsmeyer, the bullying education materials depicted teenage social situations but were shown to younger children.
Yesterday, the Illinois House passed Davidsmeyer’s legislation he filed in connection with the constituent’s concern which amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code which provides that, if a school district distributes materials on bullying to students, the materials must be age and developmentally appropriate.
Davidsmeyer hopes its a good conversation starter on the entire subject as bullying.

The bill was approved on a 106-0 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration

Jacksonville police responded to a pair of single-vehicle crashes on the city’s west end early Monday morning. West Central Joint Dispatch received a call at 12:04 a.m. Monday, April 7 from the 1600 block of Mound Avenue of a wreck in the area, but the caller could not provide any further information due to power lines being down, which was a concern for the caller’s safety. Upon arrival, officers learned that two single-vehicle crashes had occurred simultaneously in the area. According to one report, a vehicle driven by Jaylon E. Jackson, 21, of the 400 block of Anna Street was traveling eastbound on Mound Round, when for an unknown reason, he lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway to the left and wrecked into the side of a residence in the 100 block of Fairview Terrace. The crash caused a significant portion of the brick wall exterior of the home to cave in, exposing a room inside. According to reports, no one was inside the room and no one inside the residence was injured. 

The second vehicle, driven by Thomas E.J. Clawson, 21, of the first block of Fernwood Boulevard, was also traveling eastbound on Mound Avenue, when for an unknown reason, he lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway to the left and struck a tree and a privacy fence in the backyard of a home in the 1000 block of Mound Avenue. One of the crashes, which was not identified in reports, also snapped a utility pole causing much of the neighborhood to lose power for a few hours while Ameren-Illinois utility crews replaced the pole. 

Jackson was taken from the scene by ambulance to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Clawson was taken from the scene by ambulance to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield for incapacitating injuries. His current condition is not known. Both men were cited by the Illinois State Police troopers for driving under the influence, failure to reduce speed to avoid a traffic crash, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Authorities have indicated that an investigation into the crashes remains open and further citations may be pending.

Annie Merner Chapel will once again be a place of worship.

Eric and Kayla Jokisch purchased the historic chapel from Michael Hayes in the midst of Hayes’ refurbishing the chapel for an event space.

According to social media posts today, after the purchase of the chapel was made a group of people who shared their faith and passion for the Jacksonville community came together for the building’s next phase.

Lead Pastor Perry Case, Production Pastor Joshua Beckman, and Elder Ryan Turner met with the Jokisches to begin cleaning and restoring the building last week to lay the foundation of the new church. Dubbed, simply The Chapel – the first public worship service will be opened on May 4^th at 10AM.

Isaiah Case will return to Jacksonville as its full-time Worship Pastor and along with his wife Anna, will lead the Youth Ministry. Anna has a special connection to MacMurray College – her father Chris Douglas, was the head football coach at MacMurray College, and her mother, Michelle Douglas, led a children’s ministry in Jacksonville.

For more information, visit thechapel.me online.

The United Methodist Church decommissioned the chapel in June of 2020 in a special taking leave ceremony. The Illinois Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church established the Illinois Conference Female Academy in Jacksonville in 1846, which would later become MacMurray College.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has announced their 5 year plan for railroad infrastructure improvements, which includes several locations in the listening area.

Over $400 million from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund and Rebuild Illinois infrastructure program will be utilized for 900 separate crossing locations across the state.

In 2024, preliminary Federal Railroad Administration data indicates there were 80 collisions at public crossings in Illinois, down from 89 in 2023.

State funding from the GCPF and RBI provide Illinois communities the ability to address longstanding safety concerns and increasing project costs. Among the projects included in Fiscal Year 2027 is the Cockin Road crossing in Alexander, which will include a reconstructed approach and installation of gates and lights. In Scott County, Valley City at Pine Switch Street will also get a reconstructed approach with installation of gates and lights.

Greene County will see the heaviest amount of work in 2027, with 5 projects in White Hall, 2 in Hillview, along with projects at Pearl Landing, Kane, and Carrollton.

Morgan County is scheduled to see the most work in Fiscal Year 2029, including a rehabilitation of the East State Street crossing in the City of Jacksonville, which will see major pedestrian gate modifications.

To find out more information on the five-year plan, visit icc.illinois.gov.

A well-known local educator will entertain folks at the Jacksonville Public Library this weekend with music.

Head Librarian Jake Magnusson says Tim Chipman will play a piano concert for the final Music Under the Dome concert of the season. It’s Chipman’s first performance for the series.

Chipman draws his training from a long line of teachers including the late playwright Ken Bradbury as well as Jodi Mawson, his mother Janet Chipman, and Wilma Williams.

The final Music Under the Dome Concert is free to attend. Chipman will begin tickling the ivory at 4PM on Sunday at the Jacksonville Public Library, located at 201 West College Avenue.

For more information call 217-243-5435.