ST. CLAIR COUNTY SHERIFF

Sheriff Scott Keeler reported deputies made 12 arrests, took two burglary reports, a stolen dog report, and recovered a stolen vehicle during the week of May 14-21, 2018.

Warrant Arrests

Nicholas Barber- On May 21, Nicholas Barber, 26, Springfield, was arrested on St. Clair County warrants charging him with failure to appear in court on three ordinance charges of exceeding posted speed limit by 16-19 mph over, failure to register vehicle, and no insurance. Total bond is set at $573.50 cash only.

The charges come from a traffic stop by the Osceola Police Department on March 2, 2017.

James Dean Jr.- On May 19, James Dean Jr., 33, Fletcher, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on a class E felony unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia-amphetamine or methamphetamine. This is a 24 hour hold pending formal charges.

The charge comes after Hickory County dispatch notified St. Clair County dispatch that a Hickory County deputy was following a vehicle that failed to yield to him on 54 Highway. A St. Clair County deputy was responding to the area when he was notified that the Hickory County deputy had the car stopped in a church parking lot in Collins, with three people detained. Hickory County had requested a K9 to come out.

The K9 arrived on scene and did an exterior sniff test of the vehicle. The K9 did alert to the presence of narcotics. During a search of the vehicle over two dozen syringes, along with multiple plastic baggies with a white residue and other drug paraphernalia were found in a back pack in the vehicle, that none of the occupants were claiming to be theirs.

Shelby Blumenberg- On May 19, Shelby Blumenberg, 21, St. Louis, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on a class E felony unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia-amphetamine or methamphetamine. This is a 24 hour hold pending formal charges.

Blumenberg was an occupant of a vehicle that failed to yield to a Hickory County deputy and was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy in a church parking lot in Collins.

Stephanie Higgins- On May 19, Stephanie Higgins, 27, homeless, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on a class E felony unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia-amphetamine or methamphetamine. This is a 24 hour hold pending formal charges.

Higgins was an occupant of a vehicle that failed to yield to a Hickory County deputy and was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy in a church parking lot in Collins.

Christopher Melton- On May 18, Christopher Melton, 29, Appleton City, was arrested on St. Clair County warrants charging him with failure to appear in court on an original class C felony theft/stealing, a class C misdemeanor assault in the third degree, and two ordinance charges for driving without a license. Total bond is set at $4,026.50.

Michael Stuart Sr.- On May 18, Michael Stuart, 33, Osceola, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with a probation violation on an original class C felony burglary in the second degree. Bond is set at $5,000 cash only.

The original charge comes from a St. Clair County investigation into a burglary of a residence on Lowry Street in Roscoe on Aug. 20, 2013

Blane Jones- On May17, Blane Jones, 18, Walker, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with a class D felony burglary in the second degree. Bond is set at $15,000 cash only.

The charge comes after an investigation into the Speedwell Baptist Church burglary. The church was broken into and a computer was taken. During questioning, Jones admitted to taking the computer and other items from the church.

     

Robert Arduser- On May 17, Robert Arduser, 41, Walker, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on a class D felony burglary in the second degree. This is a 24 hour hold pending formal charges.

The charge stems from an investigation into the burglary of the Speedwell Baptist Church.

Jessica Hutchins- On May 17, Jessica Hutchins, 30, Osceola, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging her with two counts of a class D felony possession of a controlled substance, a class D misdemeanor possession of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid of 10 grams or less, and a class D misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond is set at $10,000 cash or surety.

The charges come after a vehicle, that Hutchins was a passenger in, was pulled over for a traffic violation. During the stop, a K9 was called to the scene. The K9 did an exterior sniff test of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics. Hutchins stated that she had some pills and marijuana hidden under the passenger’s seat. During a search of the vehicle the pills and marijuana were recovered.

     

Dyqwon Brown- On May 17, Dyqwon Brown, 24, Kansas City, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on multiple Platte County warrants for four class D misdemeanors of possession of controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle without a valid license, and no insurance. Total bond is set at $1,385 cash only.

     

Devin Johnson- On May 17, Devin Johnson, 34, Wheatland, was arrested by a St. Clair County deputy on a class E felony driving while revoked/suspended, a class A misdemeanor failure to yield to an emergency vehicle sounding siren and displaying red/blue light, and an infraction of failed to equip motor vehicle with a rear license lamp to illuminate license. This is a 24 hour hold pending formal charges.

The charges come after a St. Clair County deputy pulled over the vehicle that Johnson was driving for a traffic violation and a faulty equipment violation. While trying to perform the traffic stop, Johnson sped up and tried to evade the deputy.

     

Brent Thomas- On May 15, Brent Thomas, 45, Osceola, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant charging him with a class D felony possession of a controlled substance. Bond is set at $15,000 cash or surety.

The charge stems from an incident on April 14, 2018, after a St. Clair County deputy responded to a motor vehicle accident. A vehicle pulled up on scene and the deputy noticed the passenger, Thomas, to be under the influence of drugs. After gaining consent to search the vehicle from the driver and Thomas, the deputy found a straw with a crystal like residue in it. Thomas admitted to the possibility the straw was his. The straw field tested positive to methamphetamines.

Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Stolen Vehicle Recovered in St. Clair County

On May 21, a St. Clair County deputy was notified by an off duty St. Clair County dispatcher about a possible stolen vehicle located on SW 400 Road. The dispatcher stated she seen a white male and female taking items in and out of the vehicle.

A St. Clair County deputy arrived on scene and noticed a white male walking south towards the tree line. The white female was seen heading north towards a church.

The deputy had dispatch runs the license plate of the Ford Mustang. The license plate came back as stolen out of El Dorado Springs. A check of the VIN number of the Mustang showed the car to be stolen out of Hickory County.

The deputy requested an additional unit to search the area for the male and female. A search of the area was unsuccessful.

The license plates were turned over to El Dorado Springs Police Department and the vehicle was towed to the Hickory County Sheriff’s Office.

Burglary in Osceola

     On May 18, a St. Clair County deputy was dispatched to Do It Best Hardware Store in Osceola in reference to a burglary.

Upon arrival, the deputy noticed the glass to the front door to be broken out. While waiting on back up to arrive, the store owner David Carney arrived on scene. Once back up arrived, the building was cleared with negative findings of a suspect.

The deputy reviewed to camera footage with the store owner. They observed a subject break out the glass, enter the store, and leave a short time later carrying two Stihl chainsaws.

Carney stated two Stihl chainsaws were missing, a model MS661 and a MS461. Total estimated loss value is $2,319.94.

Evidence was collected from the scene.

Burglary in Speedwell

On May 16, a St. Clair County deputy was dispatched to Speedwell Baptist Church in reference to a burglary.

Upon arrival, the deputy spoke with Kenneth Collins. Collins stated that a neighbor called him and told him the back door to the church was standing open. The deputy checked out the door and it appeared to be kicked in.

When asked if anything was missing, Collins stated that a computer was missing. Collins stated the last someone from the church was there would have been on Sunday, May 13.

Stolen Dog Out of Collins

On May 16, a St. Clair County deputy was dispatched to SE 1000 Road in Collins in regards to a stolen dog.

The deputy made contact with Melissa McCoy. She stated someone in a small, gold in color, extended cab pickup, stopped on the road and put a black and white shaggy dog in the truck and left heading East on 1000 Road.

McCoy stated she has lost three dogs over the past three weeks. She also stated the same gold pickup was seen trying to coax the black and white dog into the vehicle three weeks ago.

Sheriff Keeler urges those with any related information to these cases or any others to contact the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line, 417-646-5832, or email to tips@scsomo.org