Four sentenced to prison in Williamson County in October
MARION - Three Williamson County residents and one out-of-stater have been convicted in Williamson County Circuit Court and sentenced in October to various terms with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Montez Avant, 28, of Carterville, pleaded guilty to residential burglary, a Class 3 felony, resisting arrest and domestic battery. He was sentenced Oct. 25 to 12 years in prison.
On July 3, Avant broke into a residence in Carterville and resisted the police officers' arrest when they arrived. The domestic battery conviction stems from a Feb. 26 incident where Avant punched a household member in the mouth.
Avant has a criminal history, including cases from 2007-2010, where he was convicted of robbery and delivery of cocaine. The Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the Carterville Police Department handled the investigation.
Lester Taylor, 35, of Energy, pleaded guilty to theft, a Class 3 felony, and was sentenced Oct. 15 to four years in prison.
On July 9, Taylor stole a truck from the driveway of a residence in Bush. Through the use of surveillance camera footage, law enforcement identified Taylor and later apprehended him in Herrin.
Taylor has a criminal history, including prior convictions for burglaries and theft. The Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the Herrin Police Department handled the investigation.
Sherri Dwyer, 28, of Johnston City, pleaded guilty to four counts of forgery, all Class 3 felonies, and was sentenced to four years in prison.
From Feb. 8-12 this year, Dwyer forged checks to the Casey's General Stores in Johnston City and Herrin.
Dwyer has a criminal history, including prior convictions for meth possession out of Marion and Alexander counties.
The police departments of Johnston City, Herrin and Energy handled the investigation.
James E. Ince, 35, of Ionia, Michigan, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony, and was sentenced to two years in prison.
On June 3, Ince was pulled over by a Herrin Police officer for a traffic violation. After a probable cause determination for a search, approximately 1.6 grams of meth was found in the vehicle.
Ince has a criminal history, including prior convictions for drug possession.
The Herrin Police Department handled the investigation.
"It has been a busy but productive couple of weeks in my office, and we are glad to report that four people with a history of criminal activity will be going to prison," said Williamson County State's Attorney Brandon Zanotti. "As always, I commend the police work by the departments involved."</group><group id="020CD159-E7D7-4F4D-B885-18E28823AF36" type="seoLabels"><seoLabels></seoLabels></group>