A Mt. Sterling man recently was indicted on federal drug charges.

Muddy River News reports that 58 year old Thomas L. Langan of rural Mt. Sterling was indicted last Tuesday, May 10^th by the U.S. State’s Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois on five counts of selling and distribution of a controlled substance known to be methamphetamine.

According to federal court records, the offenses were allegedly committed between January 10^th and February 1^st in Brown County.

Muddy River News reports that the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force, in conjunction with a SWAT team with the Illinois State Police and sworn personnel from the Brown County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on Feb. 1 at Langan’s residence in rural Mt. Sterling and discovered and seized more than 15 grams of methamphetamine along with other drug paraphernalia that would indicate the alleged sales and distribution of the drug.

According to Brown County Circuit Court records, Brown County State’s Attorney Michael Hill filed an action of civil asset forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act and the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. According to the contents of the court record, the Illinois State Police have seized Langan’s mobile home, approximately two acres of real estate, along with $4,402 believed to facilitate the illegal sales and delivery of the seized methamphetamine. The items were declared forfeited to the ISP by court action on April 11^th according to court records.

Langan’s original cases in Brown County court have been dismissed per the federal charges on Monday last week. He has been removed from the custody of the Schuyler County Jail and has been placed into federal custody.

Langan’s federal jury trial has been scheduled to begin in Springfield on July 5^th. His next appearance is a pre-trial hearing on June 23^rd.

The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate at the Sangamon County Jail.

23 year old Dylan Schlieper-Clark of Springfield and formerly of Jacksonville allegedly fell ill on April 14^th at the jail and was transported by EMS to Springfield Memorial Hospital where he died three days later.

According to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon, preliminary autopsy findings suggested there was no evidence of significant injury or trauma. Allmon says he’s still awaiting the results of toxicology tests and tissue analysis in hopes of determining the cause of death.

Schlieper-Clark was being held at the jail awaiting trial for an August 2021 charge of unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, according to Sangamon County Court records.

WMAY says that after media inquiries, Allmon publicly disclosed the death. Schlieper-Clark’s death was announced back in April by Williamson Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

A Springfield man defending himself in Adams County Court against charges of home invasion and sexual assault says he’s ready to go to trial next month.

Muddy River News reports that 35 year old Bradley Yohn of Springfield told Judge Roger Thomson Wednesday he was ready to proceed to trial on June 21^st.

Yohn is defending himself Pro Se against charges of carjacking and home invasion in Adams County filed in November 2021. He appeared in Adams County Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon for a pre-trial hearing.

Thomson also asked if Yohn had received a copy of discovery in the case from the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office. According to Muddy River News, Yohn contended that the contents of the discovery was incomplete and that he had not received pieces of information from dismissed Public Defender John Citro.

Yohn claimed that Citro had a screenshot of a media outlet producing libel about him pertaining to the case. Yohn says that he wishes to use the information to file for a change of venue.

Yohn also further had questions about the state’s list of witnesses, information about officers investigating his cases, and chain of custody of evidence to be presented at trial.

Thomson explained to Yohn that he must file written motions for information he wants and that he needs to personally contact Citro about anything he wants from him pertaining to his case.

If motions from Yohn are not filed, the case will begin with jury selection and a trial on the June 21^st date.

Blackburn College recently recognized a Greenfield native with multiple awards at it Commencement this past Saturday.

The graduation honored 86 in its Class of 2022 for its 153^rd Commencement.

The Blackburn Alumni Association presented its Outstanding Graduate Award to two individuals this year, with a co-winner being Political Science major Blake Meyer of Greenfield.

Meyer was also awarded the Political Science Prize for being the graduating majoring in political science or public administration with the highest academic average.

Meyer was also awarded the Senators Vince and Deanna Demuzio Award in Leadership Studies. That award recognizes the graduate majoring in political science or the leadership program who demonstrates strong leadership potential, has mentored others, and has strong spoken and written communication skills.

Meyer was a 2018 graduate of Greenfield High School.

The Greene County Farm Bureau announced today 6 winners of $500 scholarship from the three Greene County High Schools.

The farm bureau says they received an excellent set of applicants this year for the 2022 scholarships.

Winners this year are Wesley Bland from Carrollton High School, Mick Hallock from North Greene High School – and 4 winners from Greenfield High School: Rachel Armold, Joelle Ford, Drew Hallock, and Drake Stuart.

The co-founder of a Quincy-based group known for building tiny homes for veterans has been indicted on charges by an Adams County grand jury.

63 year old Mark Lawrence made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court yesterday morning after he was arrested on two theft charges following an indictment by an Adams County grand jury last Thursday. Bond was originally set at $200,000 when Lawrence’s arrest warrant was issued, but has since been lowered. Muddy River News reports that Lawrence was allowed the reduction in bond by the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office to continue working a job in Missouri.

Lawrence is charged with theft over $100,000, a Class 1 felony punishable for 4 to 15 years in prison, and theft over $10,000, punishable up to 3 to 7 years in prison. According to Muddy River News, Lawrence appeared along side private counsel yesterday morning.

Lawrence and his wife, Chris Lawrence, were the founders of 2x4s for Hope, a local charity which builds homes for homeless and at-risk veterans. However, the organization’s board voted in November to remove Mark Lawrence as president and Chris Lawrence as treasurer, according to WGEM.

The 2x4s for Hope board also filed a civil suit against the Lawrences. Quincy attorney Gerry Timmerwilke filed a temporary restraining order on behalf of the board against the Lawrences to keep the couple away from the charity’s finances and property. Board members and associates removed 2×4s for Hope property — computers, tools, trailers and other construction equipment — from the Lawrences’ premises in Melrose Township, where most of it was stored.

Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha confirmed in November the Illinois State Police was conducting an investigation.

Farha told the court he learned the problem when tools donated to 2×4s for Hope by Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation — a Brookfield, Wis., company which develops, manufactures and markets power tools — began appearing at Jacksonville and Galesburg Warehouse Bargains stores. The tools were meant for use in the construction of houses for veterans.

Farha said Quincy Warehouse Bargains did not make out checks to 2×4s for Hope but to Mark Lawrence, who allegedly did not transfer the funds into the 2x4s for Hope accounts. Farha also said 2×4s for Hope allegedly wrote multiple checks for tens of thousands of dollars to Lawrence Construction, a business owned by Mark Lawrence that ceased operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chris Lawrence was not named in the grand jury indictment last week. Mark Lawrence’s arrest came one week after he and his wife filed a counterclaim to the civil lawsuit filed against the couple by 2x4s for Hope board. The Lawrences are claiming the charges against them are false and are claiming defamation and asking for $100,000 in damages for each of the 6 board members.

Lawrence is next due in court on June 1^st.

A Winchester business owner will lead the Pike County CEO program during the next school year.

Colin Kuchy will serve as the program’s facilitator beginning this Fall. Kuchy owns and operates Winchester’s Rural Cyclery with his wife Jackie.

Kuchy told the Pike Press that he’s seen the effects of the Scott-Morgan CEO program and what it means to the community. The Pike CEO Program is an entrepreneurial leadership program for Pike County high school students who wish to start businesses or contribute to the overall economic development in the Pike County Community.

Kuchy previously worked in sales for Westermeyer Industries in Bluffs and is a former territory manager for Trek Bicycles. Kuchy owns a master’s degree in business from Webster University.

According to the Pike Press, Kuchy replaces Brandon Moore who had served as facilitator of the program for the past 6 years.