SALINE CO.— An Eldorado convicted felon, thought to be living in housing and who has spent time in prison for thieving, has been charged with felony Theft after her neighbor’s stolen items were found in her apartment.
According to information filed in the case, at approximately 1:31 p.m., on Thursday, September 29, Eldorado Police Officer Clint Hooper was dispatched to 1900 North Main St., Apt. 4C, Eldorado in reference to a report of a burglary.
Upon arrival Hooper spoke with Marissa K. Brant, who lives in Apt. 4C.
Brant told Hooper that she had arrived home and noticed her apartment had been gone through and items missing.
Hooper took a report and began an investigation.
The officer was contacted several hours later by Brant to told him that one of her neighbors, she knew only as CJ, later identified as Clara Emmajean Crim, 33, of 1900 North Main St., Apt. 4D, Eldorado, had admitted to her that she had some of her stolen items inside her apartment.
Hooper arrived at Crim’s apartment, with Brant in tow, and Ms. Brant identified several items as those stolen from her apartment.
With Brant out of the room, Crim was read her rights and asked her where she got the items Brant had identified as hers.
Crim said that a neighbor, across from her, she identified as Denise N. Murphy, 35, of Apt.7B, had given her the items.
Crim was even kind enough to take the officer through her apartment and point out the items she allegedly got from Ms. Murphy.
Hooper said he recovered items from Crim’s kitchen, upstairs bedrooms and the living room.
Brant returned to Crim’s apartment and identified even more items that belonged to her.
At that point Crim told Hooper that she suddenly remembered that she had gotten those items from Ms. Murphy as well.
Crim was taken into custody and charged with Theft over $500 with stolen items identified as a Nintendo Wii game system, one DVD player, miscellaneous DVDs and miscellaneous furniture.
In a later interview Crim told officers that about a week prior at around 2 a.m. Murphy had called her and said that she was “next door can I carry some stuff over?”
Crim said Murphy then began bringing items over and admitted that she knew the items had been stolen.
A convicted felon, Crim was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for three years after she was found guilty March 11, 2008, of Retail Theft.
Crim was also ordered to fork over some $587.04 in fines and fees in that case and still owes $287.04.
As for Ms. Murphy, Denise Nicole Murphy, 35, was arrested August 3, 2015 and charged with one count of felony Theft $500-$10,000.
She pleaded guilty to a reduce misdemeanor Theft less than $500 charge on January 7, 2016 and was sentenced to probation for two years, 480 hours of public service and ordered to pay $4,444 in fines and fees, of which she still owes $2,694.
Crim was released from police custody October. 4, after a $1,000 cash bond was posted on her behalf by John Strickland, of Springerton.