Adams County Circuit Court
QUINCY — A Quincy man who allegedly hit a man in the head outside a Quincy bar, causing him to be sent to Blessing Hospital, pled not guilty Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court. Judge Tad Brenner arraigned Bryan Paden, 40, who appeared with attorney Nick Rober. He has been charged with two counts…
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QUINCY — A bench trial for a Quincy woman facing four counts of first-degree murder after a 2020 accident has been pushed back two months. Natasha McBride, 39, appeared Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court with her attorney, Public Defender Todd Nelson, before Judge Tad Brenner. McBride chose on Jan. 31 to have a bench…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case said Tuesday afternoon he wanted to defend himself in two other felony cases — and a judge granted his wish. Bradley Yohn, 36, appeared before Judge Tad Brenner in Adams County Circuit Court with his attorney, Public Defender Todd Nelson, for…
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QUINCY — Judge Roger Thomson put the trial for Bradley Yohn, a Springfield man defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case, on the May 8 jury docket — 545 days after Yohn allegedly committed the crime. Yohn, however, told Thomson at the conclusion of Thursday afternoon’s motion hearing in Adams County Circuit Court…
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QUINCY — Tim Bliefnick will remain in the Adams County Jail until at least next week when a grand jury will hear the evidence against him to decide if he will be arraigned. Bliefnick, 39, made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon with attorney Casey Schnack in Courtroom 1A before Judge…
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PLEASE READ THIS CAUTIONARY NOTE: Readers should understand this story contains descriptions of sexual abuse. This may offend and shock some readers or be painful to survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Muddy River News believes it is necessary to report this information as a warning and a reminder of what comprises sexual abuse and the importance of protecting children and supporting…
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QUINCY — Ryan Schmidt fought through the tears and emotions to talk to his son before he was taken away to prison. “I am extremely hurt and angry with your actions, Hayden,” he said. “As hard as it is for me to do, I have to forgive you, and I still love you.” Appearing before…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man faces up to five years in prison when he gets sentenced on May 5 after agreeing to plead guilty for threatening a public official. As part of a straight plea, Chaeto Nichols, 18, had one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, and a misdemeanor charge…
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QUINCY — The former owner of a Quincy nightclub accused of assaulting a Quincy University student in April 2021 entered an Alford plea on Tuesday morning to an amended charge of battery. Steven W. Homan, 49, appeared with his attorney, Benedict Song, before Judge Mark Vincent in Adams County Circuit Court. A trial expected to…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man was sentenced Friday afternoon to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of child pornography involving possession of a photo of victim under the age of 13. Denario K. Brooks, 28, appeared before Judge Tad Brenner in Adams County Circuit Court with his…
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QUINCY — The trial of a former owner of a Quincy nightclub accused of assaulting a Quincy University student in April 2021 has been removed from next week’s jury docket. The trial for Steven W. Homan, 49, was set to begin on Tuesday, Feb. 14 before Judge Mark Vincent. It was expected to last four…
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QUINCY — A Michigan man who was found not guilty by a Quincy judge of criminal sexual assault in 2021 had a request for the records in his case to be expunged denied by a different judge. Drew Clinton, 19, of Taylor, Mich., appeared before Judge Roger Thomson for Wednesday’s hearing in Adams County Circuit…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case complained and argued about multiple motions during a hearing Tuesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court, but he left the courtroom mostly unsatisfied after 90-plus minutes. Bradley Yohn, 35, is defending himself against charges of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Judge Mark Vincent denied a request for a continuance in the case of the former owner of a Quincy nightclub accused of assaulting a Quincy University student in April 2021. He then set Feb. 14 as the start of what is expected to be a four-day trial. Steven Homan appeared in Adams County…
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QUINCY — A 2019 murder case that has been delayed multiple times because of changes in defense attorneys took a step forward Tuesday afternoon when a new attorney entered an appearance. Carlos Williams, 58, appeared in a wheelchair for the first time in Adams County Circuit Court with attorney Nick Rober before Judge Tad Brenner.…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy woman facing four counts of first-degree murder after a 2020 accident killed four people has chosen to have a bench trial, which has been set for May 1-3. Natasha McBride, 39, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court on Tuesday morning with her attorney, Public Defender Todd Nelson, before Judge Tad Brenner.…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man who allegedly kept thumb drives inside the Adams County jail pled not guilty Tuesday afternoon. Not surprisingly, Bradley Yohn offered other thoughts during his 10-minute arraignment in Adams County Circuit Court by Judge Tad Brenner. Yohn, 35, appeared with his attorney, Public Defender Todd Nelson. The case is on the…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man was sentenced Monday afternoon to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty in August to one count of child pornography involving a child under the age of 13 and one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Jeremy Windsor, 23, appeared before Judge Robert Adrian in Adams…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man awaiting a motion hearing in Adams County Circuit Court was removed from the courtroom by bailiffs after interrupting a judge Tuesday morning. When he came back an hour later for his hearing, the man lasted less than 90 seconds in the courtroom before another heated exchange started, and he was…
Read Full Article PLEASE READ THIS CAUTIONARY NOTE: Readers should understand this story contains descriptions of sexual abuse. This may offend and shock some readers or be painful to survivors of sexual abuse or assault. Muddy River News believes it is necessary to report this information as a warning and a reminder of what comprises sexual abuse and the importance of protecting children and supporting…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Springfield man defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case said last month he wanted to defend himself in two other felony cases, then told Judge Robert Adrian on Tuesday morning he was withdrawing his request. Bradley Yohn, 35, also said during his appearance in Adams County Circuit Court he’s waiting…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The Adams County State’s Attorney’s office will not file an appeal of last month’s Fourth District Appellate Court’s ruling, which upheld Judge Amy Lannerd’s ruling to dismiss a charge of aggravated driving under the influence by Natasha McBride in an Aug. 14, 2020, crash that killed four people. A status hearing on McBride’s…
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QUINCY — Negotiations with the state’s attorney’s office continue, but a trial for a Quincy teen being tried as an adult and accused of murdering his grandfather has been placed on the March docket. Hayden Schmidt, 16, appeared Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court with his attorney, public defender Chris Pratt, before Judge Tad…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man facing three counts of first-degree murder has new counsel, and his January trial has been delayed. Devere Gholston, 27, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court on Monday morning before Judge Debra Wellborn. Gholston had been represented by public defenders Babette Brennan and John Citro, but St. Louis area attorney Matthew…
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QUINCY — While presenting 20 motions Wednesday during a nearly three-hour hearing in Adams County Circuit Court, a Springfield man defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case said he plans to move for a change of venue. While discussing a request for funds to pay for a polling service, Bradley Yohn, 35, told Judge…
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QUINCY — A ruling on a request by attorneys for a Quincy man, charged with first-degree murder in the death of an infant in 2018, to suppress statements and information from a cellphone extraction will be made in February. Travis Wiley, 35, appeared with public defenders Todd Nelson and Shelby Hoiness before Judge Michael Atterberry…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man who is defending himself in a November 2021 sexual assault case decided Tuesday morning he now wants to defend himself in two other felony cases. Bradley Yohn, 35, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Tad Brenner for a status hearing in two cases. He was charged Oct. 15 with…
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QUINCY — A Springfield man defending himself against criminal sexual assault charges in Quincy picked up another felony charge earlier this month. Bradley Yohn, 35, was charged Nov. 15 in Adams County Circuit Court with three counts of possessing contraband in a penal institution, a Class 1 felony. If he’s found guilty, he faces between…
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QUINCY — Judge Debra Wellborn hadn’t heard much lately about the Devere Gholston case, so she took it upon herself to schedule a status hearing for Monday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court. Gholston, 27, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of residential burglary and one count of robbery in…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy man who allegedly exchanged gunfire earlier this month while in a car on the city’s northwest side pled not guilty Tuesday morning. Chaeto Nichols, 18, was arraigned in Adams County Circuit Court by Judge Amy Lannerd. Nichols appeared with public defender Christopher Pratt. The case was placed on the March 13…
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QUINCY — Judge Roger Thomson told Jonathan Graff he “violated the trust of everyone” in sentencing him Wednesday morning to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for sexually abusing a teenage girl. Graff, 31, a youth basketball coach and athletic trainer, appeared at the hearing in Adams County Circuit Court with his attorney,…
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QUINCY — The trial for a Quincy man charged in a fatal Memorial Day crash in Quincy was placed on the jury docket for Jan. 9. Wike, 21, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday morning before Judge Amy Lannerd. He is represented by Chief Public Defender Todd Nelson. Wike faces charges of reckless homicide,…
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QUINCY — Bradley Yohn of Springfield, who is preparing to defend himself against criminal sexual assault charges in a Nov. 2021 incident, was arraigned and pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning to another felony charge he picked up Oct. 14 for allegedly threatening to kill a correctional officer in the Adams County Jail. Yohn, 35, appeared…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A status hearing for a Quincy man charged in a fatal Memorial Day crash was continued Tuesday because a report from an expert witness is incomplete. Breeden Wike, 21, appeared Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court with public defender Todd Nelson. Wike faces felony charges of reckless homicide and aggravated reckless driving,…
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QUINCY — Judge Roger Thomson continued a sentencing hearing for a youth basketball coach and athletic trainer scheduled for Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court because a legal document dropped off at the Adams County Jail wasn’t delivered in a timely fashion. Jonathan Graff, 31, appeared at the hearing with his attorney, Drew Schnack.…
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QUINCY — After debating with Judge Roger Thomson about the start date of his jury trial in November, a frustrated Bradley Yohn abruptly stormed out of an Adams County courtroom Wednesday morning with help from several bailiffs and court security personnel. Yohn, a Springfield man charged with four Class X felonies in Adams County in…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The trial for a Quincy man facing three counts of first-degree murder has been set for the January jury docket. Devere S. Gholston, 27, made a brief appearance for a status hearing in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon with public defender John Citro before Judge Debra Wellborn. Another status hearing was set…
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QUINCY — The trial for a Quincy man facing attempted first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm charges has been set for the December jury docket. Donte M. Clausell, 34, is in federal custody on a separate firearms-related charge. However, he appeared in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday morning with public defender Christopher Pratt…
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QUINCY — Bond has been set at $750,000 for a Quincy man who was arrested Wednesday with more than a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocaine that was discovered during a narcotics investigation. Sami J. Grullon, 25, of Quincy, made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court on Thursday afternoon before Judge Tad Brenner. He…
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QUINCY — Bradley Yohn, a Springfield man charged with four Class X felonies in Adams County in connection with a Nov. 9, 2021 sexual assault, filed a motion last week requesting a substitution of judge in his case in Adams County Circuit Court. Yohn, 35, is defending himself against charges of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping,…
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QUINCY — Judge Roger Thomson appointed standby counsel for Bradley Yohn, a Springfield man charged with four Class X felonies in Adams County in connection with a Nov. 9, 2021 sexual assault case who is defending himself for a second time. Thomson selected public defender Todd Nelson, Yohn’s attorney from July 20 until Thomson dismissed…
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QUINCY — A Quincy woman received a five-year sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections on Wednesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court. Caitlin Dietiker, 32, pled guilty to two charges of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance on July 13 in exchange for a prison term of no longer than 10 years. Judge Roger…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man was sentenced to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Friday morning following his guilty plea to two aggravated criminal sexual abuse charges. Camron Marold, 20, appeared with public defender Todd Nelson before Judge Amy Lannerd in Adams County Circuit Court. Nelson had asked Lannerd to sentence Marold…
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QUINCY — After refusing last week to accept a 15-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for guilty pleas to five burglary charges, Zachary Laffey reached a new plea deal and stunningly agreed Wednesday to guilty pleas on even more charges which could lead to a sentence of as many as 25…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Judge Amy Lannerd put the trial for a former Quincy nightclub owner accused of assaulting a Quincy University student on the docket in February 2023. Steven W. Homan, 48, made an appearance before Lannerd in Adams County Circuit Court on Tuesday with Ben Song, an associate with the St. Louis firm of Rosenblum, Schwartz…
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QUINCY — Bradley Yohn is defending himself for a second time. The Springfield man, charged with four Class X felonies in Adams County in connection with a Nov. 9, 2021 sexual assault, filed a motion on Aug. 24 to claim public defender Todd Nelson has been ineffective as his counsel and asked to represent himself…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy man scheduled to accept to a plea agreement Tuesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court changed his mind. Zachary Laffey, 28, appeared before Judge John Wooleyhan with public defender Vanessa Pratt. Todd Eyler, Adams County assistant state’s attorney, told Wooleyhan an agreement had been reached for Laffey to plead guilty to…
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QUINCY — An Adams County judge denied a request from the Adams County State’s Attorney’s office to modify Jason Priest’s bond, but she ordered Priest to be placed on GPS electronic surveillance monitoring. Priest, 50, now has 12 separate cases pending against him, and the state’s attorney’s office expects to file additional charges later this…
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QUINCY — A youth basketball coach and athletic trainer pled guilty Wednesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court to one count of criminal sexual abuse. Jonathan Graff, 31, of Quincy entered an open plea with his attorney, Drew Schnack, in front of Judge Roger Thomson. He will sentence Graff at 11 a.m. Oct. 19. Criminal…
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QUINCY — A plea deal may be imminent for a Quincy man facing nine counts of unauthorized videotaping. Laura Keck, assistant state’s attorney for Adams County, said Tuesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court that her office recently completed a review of a computer as part of discovery in the case against John Rokusek, 60,…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Jason Priest appeared in Adams County Circuit Court on Friday morning after the Adams County State’s Attorney’s office filed a motion this week for bond to be modified or increased in cases against him. Priest also was making a first appearance on two other court cases. However, the hearing was continued to Monday…
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QUINCY — An Arkansas man pled guilty Friday morning in Adams County Circuit Court to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in exchange for a 20-year sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Mario Mason, 40, of Turrell, Ark., entered his plea with his attorney, public defender Vanessa Pratt, in front of Judge Amy…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy teen being tried as an adult and accused of murdering his grandfather has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first degree murder and two other charges. Hayden E. Schmidt, 16, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Amy Lannerd on Tuesday morning for his arraignment. He is being represented…
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QUINCY — Karen Blackledge sent a letter to the Adams County Circuit Clerk on July 27, saying her legal representation was “less than efficient and effective” and led her to agree May 5 to two 20-year sentences to the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, when Judge Amy Lannerd asked Friday during a motion hearing in…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Judge Amy Lannerd approved for public defender Todd Nelson to spend as much as $2,500 for an expert witness in the case against a Quincy man charged in a fatal Memorial Day crash. Breeden Wike, 20, appeared Thursday afternoon for a motion hearing in Adams County Circuit Court. He faces felony charges of…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy man accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl has waived his jury trial pursuant to a plea negotiation. Jonathan Graff, 31, appeared Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court with his attorney, Drew Schnack, before Judge Roger Thomson. Graff will enter his plea on Aug. 31. Graff was indicted July 2…
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QUINCY — A case against a Quincy man charged with two felonies in connection with a June 11 incident has been set for a plea on Aug. 31. Lenard M. Miller, 41, did not appear with attorney Drew Schnack on Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court. However, Schnack told Judge Roger Thomson he recently…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A gymnastics coach from West Virginia pled not guilty Tuesday morning to four charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 in Adams County. Leonard Johnson, 63, of Rochester, Minn., was arraigned in Adams County Circuit Court by Judge Amy Lannerd. He appeared with his attorney, Drew…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man charged with first-degree murder in the death of an infant in 2018 made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court with a representative from the public defender’s on Monday morning. A former Adams County state’s attorney from 2004 to 2016 also made his first appearance as a special prosecutor…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Caitlin R. Dietiker of Quincy, who pled guilty July 13 to two charges of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance in exchange for a cap of 10 years on her sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections, will be sentenced Sept. 21. Public defender Todd Nelson said during Dietiker’s last appearance before Judge Roger…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The case against Bradley Yohn, who has been charged with four Class X felonies in connection with a Nov. 9, 2021 sexual assault, now is on the November jury docket. Yohn, 35, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court with public defender Todd Nelson on Wednesday morning before Judge Roger Thomson. The jury trial is…
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QUINCY — Admitting “the court undoubtedly erred” Monday when setting bond in a battery case, Judge Tad Brenner increased Andrew Campbell’s bond to $20,000 during a motion hearing Thursday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court. Campbell, who voluntarily appeared in court with public defender Christopher Pratt, was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs by four…
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QUINCY — A Quincy teen accused of murdering his grandfather will be tried as an adult. Hayden E. Schmidt, 16, made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court on Tuesday morning with public defender Christopher Pratt serving as counsel. “I’ve had no opportunity to talk with Mr. Schmidt outside of court today, and I…
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Watch Mercedes Patterson drive a stolen Hyundai, then steal a Quincy Police car and drive at speeds topping 100 miles per hour on the streets of Quincy, Ill., on Dec. 22, 2021. (Video courtesy of Quincy Police Department and Adams Co. State’s Attorney’s office) QUINCY — A Quincy woman pled guilty Wednesday afternoon in Adams…
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QUINCY — Bradley Yohn, who has been charged with four Class X felonies in connection with a Nov. 9, 2021 sexual assault, agreed to allow public defender Todd Nelson defend him Wednesday during an appearance in Adams County Circuit Court. Yohn had filed a motion July 18 to have Nelson withdrawn as his counsel and allow…
Read Full Article QUINCY — An indictment has been filed against a Quincy man accused of sexually abusing a teenage girl. Jonathan Graff, 31, was indicted July 2 by an Adams County grand jury. He appeared with attorney Drew Schnack on Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court. He pled not guilty to one count of aggravated criminal…
Read Full Article QUINCY — An indictment has been filed against a Quincy man charged with two felonies in connection with a June 11 incident. Lenard M. Miller, 41, was indicted July 14 by an Adams County grand jury. He appeared with attorney Drew Schnack on Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court and pled not guilty to…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A Quincy woman pled guilty Wednesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court to two charges of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance in exchange for a prison term of no longer than 10 years. Dietiker, 22, was set to enter a plea on May 11 when her attorney, public defender Todd Nelson, told…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man was sentenced Wednesday to 7 1/2 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after he pled guilty in March to attempted aggravated battery of a child. Judge Amy Lannerd sentenced Raphael Wires, 36, in Adams County Circuit Court. Wires was arrested in December and charged with aggravated battery of a…
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QUINCY — A judge denied a Quincy woman’s request for a new attorney and a change of venue Wednesday morning. Amanda Toolate, 43, of 323 College is facing one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony punishable for between six and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections,…
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QUINCY — The trial of Bradley Yohn in Adams County Circuit Court on Tuesday morning started with Judge Roger Thomson addressing a series of motions filed by Yohn last week. It ended moments before jury selection was set to begin when Yohn told Thomson, “I can’t do this.” Thomson eventually set a July 6 hearing…
Read Full Article QUINCY — The trial of a Quincy woman charged in connection with the 2020 crash that killed four people has been moved to April. Public Defender Todd Nelson filed a motion on Wednesday in Adams County Circuit Court to continue the case against Natasha McBride, 37. She faces four counts of murder in connection to…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A pre-trial hearing date for a Quincy woman facing four murder charges remains unchanged, but a report from a Chicago psychiatrist could change that. Judge Scott Larson ruled Friday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court that he would grant Josh Jones, lead trial attorney for the Adams County State’s Attorney’s office, more time…
Read Full Article QUINCY — A trial for a Quincy woman charged in an August 2020 crash that killed four people remains on track to be heard in February. However, a hearing on Friday could change that. A motion was filed by the state’s attorney’s office on Dec. 29 to extend the deadline for discovery in the case…
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