Two people charged in a November carjacking, burglary and sexual assault in Adams County have pled not guilty to their crimes.
34 year old Bradley Yohn of Springfield pled not guilty for 11 counts across 3 cases that include counts of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated criminal sexual assault, theft, and criminal sexual abuse. According to WGEM, Yohn pled not guilty in front of Adams County Judge Amy C. Lannerd on Tuesday. Due to Yohn’s previous criminal history, Yohn could face consecutive sentences if found guilty on multiple charges.
32 year old Karen Blackledge pled not guilty to 6 charges yesterday afternoon in front of Adams County Judge Robert Adrian. Blackledge is charged with two counts of home invasion, one count of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, and residential burglary. According to court records, Blackledge has a prior conviction of burglary, and will have a higher qualifying sentence to prison if she is convicted of that charge alone.
WGEM says that Judge Adrain indicated to Blackledge that because the two counts of home invasion were “separate and distinct” from the remaining counts, a conviction on either or both of those counts, as well as a conviction on any of the remaining counts, could qualify for consecutive sentences.
Both Yohn and Blackledge face from 4 to 40 years in prison on each of the charges. A jury trial has been set for both on January 10th, with final pre-trial hearings marked for January 3rd. A status hearing is set for Yohn on December 14th, with Blackledge’s status set the following day on the 15th.
WICS Newschannel 20 reports that Springfield Police continue to investigate whether Yohn & Blackledge are connected to the shooting death of 30 year old Derek Banker Barnett of Virden, whose body was discovered in a vehicle in a nearby alleyway in Springfield on November 10th while U.S. Marshal’s apprehended the pair at a residence n the 1900 block of Cornell Avenue. Yohn & Blackledge have submitted to DNA testing per orders of the court. No charges have been filed yet in that case in Sangamon County.