Scooter stealer fails to show for sentencing

<span>Jamico A. Marion, who was found guilty of stealing the scooter of former Wally's owner Ryan Waltemate in September 2015, failed to show for his sentencing hearing at the Randolph County Courthouse last Thursday.</span>

<span>Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker told the Herald Tribune last week that a warrant will be issued for Marion's arrest that will have no jurisdictional limits and he will not be eligible for bond.</span>

<span>"A warrant will be issued for his arrest with no bond and no jurisdictional limits, which means we'll be able to go anywhere to find him," Walker said.</span>

<span>The 36-year-old Marion was found guilty of the offense of theft over $500 by Judge Richard A. Brown following a bench trial on Jan. 13.</span>

<span>He was alleged to have stolen the scooter on September 5, nine days after the Aug. 27 fire at Wally's that destroyed the popular Chester restaurant.</span>

<span>In previous comments to the newspaper, Walker noted that Marion's defense in the case was that he thought the scooter, which had been parked near a dumpster on the property, was trash and that he could take it.</span>

<span>Previously, Chester Police Chief Ryan Coffey said the theft had been reported at 8:44 p.m. the night of Sept. 5 and the scooter was recovered three hours later on Buena Vista Street in the process of being stripped.</span>

<span>"I will be seeking a term in the Illinois Department of Corrections," Walker said on Thursday, while declining to give more specifics.</span>

<span>Walker noted that defendants who fail to show for their sentencing hearing are rare, but not unheard of, occurrences.</span>

<span>Marion has connections to Shelby County, Tenn., where he was arrested for aggravated robbery in 2011. Walker advised that if anyone has seen him, to contact their local law enforcement agency.</span>

<span>"It isn't out of the ordinary for people to miss a court day, but typically, there's a phone call from their attorney the next day," Walker said. "It really is pretty rare that someone would take a powder and just leave."</span>

<span>Walker was asked what the next step is.</span>

<span>"It's just usually a waiting game," he said. "Generally speaking, if we catch somebody on a warrant out-of-state, we have to go get him on our expense, but we'll do it."</span>

<span>Waltemate respectfully declined to comment for this story.</span>