SALINE CO.— A Harrisburg man has been jailed after he busted one of the glass doors at the county courthouse.
According to police reports, court security officer Randy Butler unlocked the courthouse doors at approximately 7:35 a.m. on April 23 to allow the public to enter.
A male wearing a black leather coat, later identified as Jason R. King, 28, of West Elm St., entered the courthouse and approached the metal detector.
King removed the leather coat and placed it on the security desk.
Butler instructed King to empty his pants pockets, as is done with everybody entering the courthouse, and King removed a razor knife and a large folding knife.
Butler then instructed King to take the knives outside because knives are not allowed in the courthouse.
King left the courthouse and when he did the doors automatically locked.
A loud noise from outside the courthouse doors then was heard and when Butler went to investigate, he saw King standing in front of the door and the glass was shattered.
Butler approached King and asked him if he had broken the door, to which King admitted that he did.
Officer Butler and bailiff Carl Pickering took Mr. King into custody and escorted him to the Saline County Detention Center where he was booked on one felony count of Criminal Damage to Government Property.
King was convicted in 2004 for DUI and sentenced to 12 months court supervision and ordered to pay $2,969 in fines and fees.
Cash bond in the case was set at $1,000.
Charged with choking his mother
A Harrisburg man who was arrested and charged last month with beating his 60+ year-old mother because she wouldn’t let him pawn her laptop has been arrested again on a violence charge.
According to information filed in the case, on April 23 at approximately 8:28 p.m. Saline County Dispatch received a call from Colton Faughn, of 314 S. Webster St., requesting an officer in reference to his neighbor Ellen Eugina Plater, saying her son, William 
Kelly Plater, 53, who lives with his mother at 320 S. Webster St., had choked her.
When officers arrived on scene Ms. Plater told them that her son had grabbed her throat and choked her and that she wanted him arrested.
On this occasion Mr. Plater was taken into custody without incident.
Last month he fought with and threatened the officer who arrested him.
Plater was charged again with Aggravated Battery of a person over the age of 60.
He served a five-year prison sentence in 2008 after being convicted of his fifth DUI.
He was also ordered to pay $1,515.80 in fines and fees of which he still owes $1,410.80.
Last month he was bonded out of jail.
This month, as of press time, he remains behind bars.
Sex offender fails to report
Brian G. Stafford, 48, of 3475 Old Highway 13, Harrisburg, has been charged with Unlawful Failure to Report Change of Address as a Sex Offender.
Authorities say that on April 7, Stafford failed to notify the Saline County Law Enforcement and Detention Center within three days of changing his address.
In 1986 Stafford was convicted of Aggravated Battery and sentenced to periodic imprisonment and ordered to pay $607 in fines and fees.
In 1989 Stafford was convicted of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse of a victim under the age of 13 and sentenced to seven years in prison and ordered to pay $262.50 in fines and fees.
He was convicted January 2013 of Theft and sentenced to 30 months probation and ordered to pay $5,229.82 of which he still owes $5,109.82.
While still on probation, Stafford was convicted of Unlawful Use of a Black-Jack/Knife and ordered to pay $1,000 in fines and fees of which he still owes $975.
Stafford has an outstanding case in Saline in which he faces two charges including Unlawful Methamphetamine Manufacture 100-400 grams and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Materials.
Forgery
Kierra F. Robinson, 22, of West Lincoln Street in Harrisburg, has been charged with Forgery after police say on March 31, she knowingly delivered a bad check, drawn on the University Bank of Minneapolis, to J & J Liquors in the amount of $4,557.11.
Robinson was released from custody April 10, after a $1,000 cash bond was posted on her behalf by Ida White of West Barnett St.
Another theft charge added against Galatia woman
A woman charged last month with Retail Theft after allegedly swiping items from the local Wal-Mart has had another charge added.
According to court documents, Melissa M. Gallamore, 36, of Franklin Street in Galatia, has been charged with another count of Retail Theft after authorities say on March 20 she knowingly removed a label from a small measuring cup priced at $1.88 and placed the label on a larger measuring cup priced at $10.97.
Gallamore is a convicted felon from 1998 after being found guilty of Forgery and sentenced to three years behind bars, 30 months probation and ordered to pay $1,325.88 in fines and fees of which she still owes $418.46.
She earned her second Saline County felony in 2003 when she was convicted of Obstruction of Justice and sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Damage to Cottage Grove Cemetery
Eric M. Grome, 31, of North County Line Rd., Eldorado, has been charged with one count each of Criminal Damage to Property and Driving Revoked after authorities say on April 14 he drove at a time when he knew his driver’s license to be revoked to Cottage Grove Cemetery and knowingly damaged the stone entrance wall and grounds.
Grome was released from custody April 14 after a $100 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Donna Short of State Street in Eldorado.
Drug felon busted on outstanding warrants and
A convicted drug felon from Eldorado has been arrested for the second time this year.
According to police reports, on April 16 at 6:38 p.m. county dispatch advised deputy Craig Williams they had received a call advising that Jason Smith, 34, of 608 Choisser St., wanted on three active arrest warrants, had been spotted driving a black Saturn on Hwy 45 northbound through Muddy.
Williams with an assist from Eldorado officer Clint Hooper executed a traffic stop at Grove and Panama streets.
When officers attempted to place Smith in handcuffs he resisted and had to be physically persuaded to comply before he was placed in a police cruiser.
Subsequent to the towing of the vehicle an inventory was done and Deputy Williams located an open bottle of New Amsterdam Vodka with approximately an eighth of the contents gone.
Smith was charged with Driving Revoked and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol.
Smith was arrested in February on a charge of Domestic Battery after authorities say on Feb. 12, he caused bodily harm to a family member, identified as Ashley D. Smith, in that he repeatedly struck Smith about the face and body.
Smith is a convicted felon from 2003 when he was found guilty of Unlawful Possession of Meth/Other Drugs and was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail.
In 2009 he was convicted of Obstruction of Justice and sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
He also has a pair of pending cases, one from 2011 in which he is charged with Theft more than $10,000, and the second from April 2012 in which he is charged with Driving Revoked/Suspended DUI/Second Offense.
Cash bond in the case has been set at $1,500.