SALINE CO.—A convicted Eldorado drug felon has been jailed after authorities say he went on a mini-crime spree.
According to reports, on Tuesday, April 22, at 9:56 a.m. Eldorado officer Jack Johnson received a report from Dennis Mahaffey of Eldorado that someone had broken into the residence of John James, at 2100 Forest St., while the owners were out of town.
Johnson responded to the scene, cleared the residence and called for the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services.
The scene was turned over to CSI Dan Glover at approximately 11:45 a.m.
At 2:48 p.m. patrolman Ryan Ward spoke with Daniel Stamps of Eldorado about items he had been told were stolen by Bradley Allen Maurer, 27, of 2116 Forest St., Eldorado.
Ward also spoke with Jaclyn Stamps who said she saw Maurer with a television that she believed was stolen at the back gate of her residence.
Officers were able to track down Brittney Ralston, also of 2116 Forest St., and obtained consent to search the residence they had her sign at the Eldorado PD.
At approximately 3:57 p.m. Johnson, Ward and police chief Shannon Deuel entered the home through the back door, announcing their presence as they made their way through the residence.
They found Maurer in bed.
Maurer admitted to burglarizing the home of Michael Barrell, located at 2113 Fourth St.
Ward escorted Maurer to a residence on Boyd St., where he recovered a Dell laptop, a Sanyo television was recovered from Fourth St. and a Toshiba television was recovered from 180 Grimes St., Eldorado.
Maurer was ultimately charged with two counts of Residential Burglary and one count of Theft under $500 and one count of Theft $500-$10,000.
Maurer is a convicted felon from 2009 when he was found guilty of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine less than five grams.
He was sentenced to 24 months probation and ordered to pay $2,2788 in fines and fees.
A probation violation in 2010 earned him another 30 months probation.
Cash bond in the case has been set at $2,000.