A Springfield police officer arrested by the Illinois State Police over four years ago after allegations of on-duty misconduct has been sentenced to prison.

30-year old Taylor Staff pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court to multiple charges that include aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of official misconduct, custodial sexual misconduct, and criminal sexual abuse.

Staff was arrested by Illinois State Police DCI agents in February 2021 after a request was placed by the Springfield Police Department to investigate alleged misconduct between January of 2020 through July of 2020 involving three separate victims that Staff had been in contact with.

At the time of his arrest, Staff had been with the Springfield Police Department for 3 years. The Springfield Police Department said they requested that ISP conduct an independent criminal investigation after members of the department made allegations of misconduct by other staff members.

Chief Circuit Judge Ryan Cadigan sentenced Staff to a total of 6 1/2 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, followed by one year of mandatory supervised release. He received credit for 998 days served between the Sangamon County Jail and on electric monitoring.

Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch announced today that Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County deputy accused of murdering Sonya Massey, has been transferred to the Sangamon County Jail.

Crouch said the following in a press release today: “Sean Grayson was transferred today from the Macon County Jail to the Sangamon County Jail.

The transfer was made to accommodate ongoing medical procedures and follow-up appointments that, due to operational needs of the Sheriff’s Office, require him to be housed in Springfield. This decision was made after consultation between correctional and medical staff to ensure access to required services while maintaining secure custody.

Grayson will be housed in a secure unit within the Sangamon County Jail. Appropriate safety precautions are in place to manage his custody and ensure the secure operation of the facility.

Grayson is expected to remain in the Sangamon County Jail until his trial takes place in Peoria County.”

Grayson is said to be undergoing ongoing treatment for cancer.

Meanwhile, according to a report from WICS Newschannel 20, Grayson’s attorneys appear to be poised to release evidence of the mental state of Sonya Massey at the upcoming trial. Grayson is charged with first-degree murder following a shooting incident on July 6, 2024 at Massey’s residence after a report of a prowler. Grayson’s attorneys, Daniel L. Fultz and Mark Kevin Wykoff Sr., have filed a motion to allow evidence of Massey’s mental condition to be presented at trial. The defense argues that Massey’s state of mind is relevant to the case due to Massey possibly experiencing mental health issues in days leading up to the shooting documented through various 9-1-1 calls the residence. The defense contends that Massey’s mental state is central to determining whether Grayson’s use of deadly force was justified. They argue that statements made by Massey shortly before the incident, which indicate her mental distress, should be considered by the court. Additionally, Grayson’s legal team has filed a motion to introduce evidence of Massey’s alleged propensity for violence, citing an incident where she reportedly assaulted a neighbor with a brick on the day of the shooting. The defense claims this evidence is necessary to establish who was the initial aggressor in the confrontation.

The trial is scheduled to begin on October 20th in Peoria.

The Illinois State Police and Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office have announced the arrest and first-degree murder charges for a Springfield man after a woman’s body was found near I-55 last year.

Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 4 and Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser announce the arrest of 57-year-old Robert Lee Jr. of Springfield, for three counts of First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death (Class 3 Felony).

On March 13, 2024, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) notified ISP of the discovery of human remains located along the I-55 southbound ramp from Stevenson Drive in Springfield. The victim was later identified as Teresa Coleman of Springfield. ISP was requested to handle the death investigation. Preliminary autopsy results determined Coleman’s death to be a homicide.

After a lengthy and thorough investigation, ISP special agents identified Lee as the suspect. An arrest warrant was issued for Lee. On July 23, 2025, the US Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and ISP special agents took Lee into custody. Lee is being held at the Sangamon County Jail pending a detention hearing.

ISP is continuing to investigate the homicide. Anyone with information regarding Coleman’s death that leads to a conviction may receive a cash reward up to $5,000. If you have any information regarding this incident call the Sangamon-Menard Crime Stoppers anonymously at 217-788-8427 or send in a digital tip using the P3 mobile app.

The Village of Ashland will have a new mayor starting on August 1st.

The Cass County Star-Gazette reports that long-time mayor Kitty Mau will be resigning effect July 31. According to the report, Mau is moving out of the village limits. The announcement was made during the village’s meeting during the week of July 7. Mau is being replaced by Village Trustee Nancy Kyrouac.

Also resigning is Trustee Nathan Grieme as he is also moving out of the village. Two new trustees, Shawn Eskew and Kelly Buker will take over in the open positions on the village board.

Mau was elected to at least her third term as Village President this April.

Beard Implement Company in Pittsfield is asking for the public’s help to identify three individuals involved in an alleged theft.

According to a Facebook post from the company, three individuals appear to have taken a Kubota ZD 1211 zero-turn mower from their property overnight between July 21-22. Two other mowers were said to have been taken in the incident.

One individual, which appears to be a white male, has specific tattoos on their back thighs. Another individual is wearing a hoodie with “Clean Cut Lawn Care” on the back. The company is based out of Springfield. Clean Cut stated on their Facebook post that they are aware of the image that’s been posted and are doing an internal review to see if they can identify the potential suspect. The company says they are also cooperating with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation.

Anyone has information about this incident or can potentially identify the three individuals involved should contact the Pike County Sheriff’s Office at 217-285-5011 or Pike County Crime Stoppers at 217-285-1500.

The Morgan County Commissioners approved the contractor for four upcoming bridge replacements in the county this morning.

County Contractors of Quincy received three of the four projects.

The first bridge will be located at Stevenson Road south of Prairie College Road for County Contractors at $366,186.

The second bridge is located at Wheeler Road north of Ring Road and will also be County Contractors with a bid of $499,995.50.

The third bridge is also to County Contractors located at Arcadia Road north of Literberry-Triopia Road for a bid of $356,095.40.

The fourth bridge, located at Woods Lane south of McKean Road was awarded to Yamnitz & Associates of Fieldon for a bid of $515,183.92.

Morgan County Highway Department Director Matt Coultas says the timeline for the projects is dependent on materials: “Contractors will submit proposed schedules once they have necessary materials available to complete projects at each location. The County Highway Department has received necessary shop drawings for deck beam designs, and those material suppliers can now proceed with manufacturing. Steel availability will probably be the driving force for start dates.”

Cass County State’s Attorney Craig R. Miller announced today that on Friday a Cass County jury found a Jacksonville man guilty of first-degree murder and home invasion.

Benchy R. Couloute, 45, of Jacksonville was found guilty by the jury after over two-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

During the five-day trial, State’s Attorney Craig R. Miller presented the following evidence in court: on March 23rd, Couloute was captured on surveillance video stalking his ex-wife. Later that evening, additional surveillance footage showed the defendant driving through the DOT Foods parking lot in Mount Sterling, where both his ex-wife and the victim, Junior N. Kalonji, 37, were employed. In the early morning hours of March 24th at approximately 12:30 a.m., the defendant was seen placing a GPS tracking device on his ex-wife’s vehicle. Just under an hour later, at 1:17 a.m., a surveillance video captured the defendant pursuing her vehicle. Cellular data analysis presented by the State further tracked the defendant’s movements during the overnight hours of March 23 and March 24. At approximately 6:48 a.m., the defendant’s ex-wife departed a residence located at 1200 State Street in Beardstown. Minutes later, at 6:55 a.m., a vehicle believed to be driven by Couloute was observed approaching the same location. He said to then unlawfully entered the residence at 1200 State Street, where he fatally stabbed Kalonji 12 times in the neck. At approximately 7:11 a.m., surveillance footage showed a vehicle believed to be driven by Couloute leaving the area. A subsequent investigation revealed the victim’s blood and the defendant’s DNA inside the vehicle.

Investigators later determined that Couloute had fled to the state of Indiana. In conjunction with Illinois State Police special agents, members of the Indiana State Police located and arrested Couloute in early April.

Upon return of the verdict, Judge Timothy J. Wessel ordered that Couloute remain in custody pending sentencing. Judge Wessel set Couloute’s next court appearance for September 8th at 1:30 p.m. He could face between 20 and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for Kalonji’s murder.

Cass County State’s Attorney Craig Miller released the following statement on the case: “I hope this verdict provides some justice for Junior Kalonji’s family and community. Mr. Couloute’s premeditated murder was violent and cold-blooded. My special thanks to all the agents at the Illinois State Police Zone 4 Investigations for the many hours they dedicated to this case, which led to a successful conviction on the most serious charge of murder. I am also thankful for the officers of the Beardstown Police Department and the deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.”

Billy Springman, a 20-year-old Carrollton native and intern with the Greene County Board, is leading efforts to promote the county’s newly launched official website: greenecountyil.org.

The site was designed to serve as a centralized hub for residents, streamlining access to a wide range of county services. Visitors can pay property taxes, court fines, and traffic tickets online; request vital records such as marriage licenses and death certificates; and view real-time election results. The website also features County Board meeting minutes, office hours, and contact information for local officials—making it easier than ever for residents to stay informed and connected with county government.

Springman began managing the project in early 2025 and presented the finished product to the County Board in March, where it received formal approval. Now that the site is live, he’s focused on raising public awareness and encouraging community engagement through outreach efforts and public feedback.

A Jacksonville woman was severely injured after her vehicle struck an unoccupied parked car on South Diamond Street early Sunday morning.

Jacksonville Police and EMS were called to the intersection of South Diamond and Grove Street at 5:25 a.m. after a caller heard the sound of a two-vehicle crash near their residence.

Upon arrival, officers determined that a vehicle driven by Sherry L. Jones, 62, of the 600 block of North East Street, was traveling southbound in the northbound lane of South Diamond Street at West Beecher Avenue and then struck a park and unoccupied vehicle.

Jones was transported from the scene to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital by ambulance with multiple injuries. Both vehicles received severe damage and were towed from the scene.

Jones was later cited for improper lane usage.

A Jacksonville woman awaiting trial in Morgan County for a series of burglaries to storage units in South Jacksonville last year pleaded guilty to similar charges in Pike County Circuit Court earlier this month.

Jamie M. Byrd, 52, of the 500 block of South Prairie in Jacksonville pleaded guilty to 7 counts of burglary and a single count of theft under $500 on July 9 in Pike County Circuit Court. Three counts of theft under $500 were dismissed per the plea agreement.

Byrd pleaded guilty to a series of storage unit thefts in Pike County between March 29 and April 2, 2024. 

Byrd turned herself into authorities in Morgan County on April 25, 2024 after she was connected to a series of burglaries at A Plus Storage & Fingerprinting in the 1900 block of Southbrooke Road in South Jacksonville that took place over a series of dates between January and February 2024. Officers from South Jacksonville were able to place Byrd as a person of interest in the incidents after they were able to identify her vehicle through video surveillance footage and flock cameras. Byrd was arrested by Pittsfield Police in early April 2024 and South Jacksonville officers went over and conducted interviews with Byrd at the PIke County Jail prior to her release, where she is said to have divulged information about the incidents in South Jacksonville. 

At the time, South Jacksonville Police Chief Eric Hansell said that Byrd helped authorities recover most of the stolen property from the burglaries. 

On July 9 in Pike County Circuit Court, Judge J. Frank McCartney sentenced Byrd to two years of adult probation and ordered payment of a county fine, court fees and restitution totaling over $3,000.

Byrd is due to return to Morgan County Circuit Court on three burglary charges on July 22.