SALINE CO.— Violence against staff charges continue to pour out of the Illinois Youth Center (IYC) also known as kiddy prison.
Whether or not there is an increase in violence against staff inside the prison or more incidents are simply being reported and charged criminally instead of being handled in-house is unclear.
Anthony Maxon, also known as inmate #2016-0202093, 19, of Cook County Jail Housing, Chicago, and 18-year-old Khaleel Lott, also known as inmate #D50472 have been charged with two counts of Aggravated Battery after police say on December 20, 2016, they struck an individual, identified as Marcus Bell, causing great bodily harm and did so while on the property of IYC located at 1201 Poplar St.
(On deadline for this issue, Lott had entered a plea of guilty to the charge [March 31] and had been sentenced to Illinois Department of Corrections’ big-boy prison as his punishment.)
A repeat offender, in the form of Derris D. LeBlanc, 18, also known as inmate #H49988, has been charged for the second time in as many months.
LeBlanc stands accused in the February 2 Aggravated Battery of IYC employee James C. Oakley for allegedly biting Oakley’s right index finger.
Now LeBlanc has been charged with yet anther felony after authorities say on March 2 he again committed the offence of Aggravated Battery when placed his forehead against the forehead of corrections nurse Gusten C. Wallace at a time when Wallace was performing his official duties.
Deanthony Merchant, 18, also known as inmate #H48855, has been charged with Aggravated Battery after authorities say on March 8 he knowingly made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature when he struck Travis W. Rathjen, at a time when he knew Rathjen to be a correctional institution employee performing his duties.
Cash bond in Merchant’s case was set at $2,000.