Two from Pleasant Hill facing drug, firearms charges

PLEASANT HILL, Ill. — Two Pleasant Hill residents face drug and firearms charges after the Pleasant Hill Police Department, Pike County Sheriff’s Department and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a criminal investigation.

As law enforcement officials were conducting surveillance on Tuesday, Dec. 27, on a residence in Pleasant Hill, they observed someone leaving the residence and driving off.  Law enforcement officials followed the suspect to a local establishment. After an investigation, Conel H. Rogers, 43, was arrested on the following charges:

• Unlawful possession of a stolen firearm,
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon,
• Unlawful possession of firearms ammunition by a felon,
• Unlawful possession of methamphetamine,
• Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rogers was later charged by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office with felony theft (theft of a firearm) and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. That incident is unrelated to the Pike County incident.

A passenger, Heather A. Shoemaker, 29, was arrested on the following charges:

• Unlawful possession of a stolen firearm,
• Unlawful possession of a firearm (no FOID card),
• Unlawful possession of methamphetamine, 
• Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  

Following the arrests, law enforcement officials followed up with the investigation and executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of Brant Street in Pleasant Hill. During the execution of the search warrant, three additional firearms were seized, as well as firearms ammunition.

Rogers was later charged with possession of the firearms located in his residence.

Both Rogers and Shoemaker are lodged in the Pike County Jail.  

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conversation Police and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services assisted with the investigation.