SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) A state prison guard on Tuesday pleaded guilty to federal felony charges related to the 2018 beating death of an inmate at Western Illinois Correctional Center. Dora High School (1991 - 1995) Mt. Willie Hedden pleaded Guilty Tuesday via video at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Springfield . An initial trial date of Feb. 4, 2020, has been scheduled. An autopsy revealed he died of gunshot wounds. Sterling, Ill. Those charged are Todd Sheffler, 51, of Mendon; Willie Hedden, 41, of Mt. Clifton and Sullivan said they didn't resent the holdouts because, in Clifton's words, "They're trying to make sure they can sleep at night, too." Sheffler and Banta have pled not guilty to the charges of: The Illinois Department of Corrections put Sheffler, 53, a lieutenant; Hedden, 43, a sergeant; and Banta, 30, a correctional officer, on suspension without pay pending judicial verdict in December 2019. Mount Sterling, IL. Alex Banta of Quincy, Todd Sheffler of Mendon, and Willie Hedden of Mt. Brooke Suzanne (Reische) Hedden, age 35, of Fort Myers, Florida and formerly of Mt. For each count of obstruction, the maximum statutory penalty is up to 20 years in prison. The defendants were arrested late yesterday, Dec. 5, by the FBI and Illinois State Police, and appeared today for arraignment in federal court before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough. Prosecutors said that Mr. Earvin, who was eligible for parole in September 2018, was being escorted from his residential unit at the prison to a separate, segregated housing unit without further incident at the time of the assault, other than resisting the escort. Specifically, the indictment charges Sheffler, Hedden and Banta with conspiracy to deprive civil rights (one count); deprivation of civil rights (one count); and conspiracy to obstruct justice (one count.). Three others involved Haubrich. This course is a requirement for all new employees.. Urbana: (217) 373-5875. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass represents the government in the prosecution. Three Illinois prison guards have been arraigned on charges of assault and civil rights violations in the May 2018 death of an inmate at Western Illinois Correctional Center. We'd love to hear eyewitness Assistant U.S. Hedden remains free on bond upon Bass recommendation, given his agreement to cooperate and recent health problems. Hedden, 42, of Mt. The Associated Press reported that Earvin was airlifted to a regional hospital after the incident and died about 1 months later. willie hedden. He also pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct, admitting he filed falsified incident reports with the prison that omitted reference to the assault and noted that Earvin was delivered to staff in the segregation housing unit without further incident, other than resisting the escort and refusing to walk. Find directions to Mount Sterling, browse local businesses, landmarks, get current traffic estimates, road conditions, and more. Earvin, who was serving a six-year sentence for robbery in Cook County and was scheduled to be paroled in September 2018, died at a Centralia Correctional Center hospital on June 26. Tampering with witness, victim or informant; Falsification of document in federal investigation. Give this article Larry. The indictment alleges that each defendant falsified incident reports to omit any reference to the assault and that they misled agents of the Illinois State Police by denying any knowledge of the assault of Earvin that each participated in and witnessed. According to a police report, he stole watches from a hospital gift shop, and then attempted to sell them on the street to a woman. (1) Before Earvins death, an independent prison watchdog group had flagged major concerns with staff conduct at the Western Illinois prison. Mount Sterling, IL View Full Report Phone Numbers: (217) 725-5592, (217) 773-3857 Address History: 301 Grove Street, Mount Sterling, IL 62353; 606 S Capitol Avenue, Mount Sterling, IL 62353 Relatives: Brian Hedden, Deborah Hedden, Jason Hedden, Willie Hedden, Brooke Reische Age: 57 Bruce Allen Hedden Grapevine, AR View Full Report SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A sergeant at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. willie has 1 job listed on their profile. An autopsy determined Earvins death was a homicide. Associated Press. All three have been free after being released on their own recognizance after the December 2019 federal indictment. Please E-mail suggested additions, comments and/or corrections to Kent@MoreLaw.Com. Willie Hedden of Mount Sterling . For each count of conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct and obstruction, the maximum statutory penalty is up to 20 years in prison. Court records said he was assaulted May 17, 2018, and suffered multiple broken ribs, a punctured colon and other serious internal injuries. According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the indictment. List Grid Willie Hedden IL Mount Sterling Profile Not the right Willie Hedden? Sterling had a motion granted in April 2020 in U. S. District Court in Spring. He and the woman agreed on a price $11 and as she was handing over the cash, he forcibly grabbed the money and the victims left hand while also smacking away the victims right hand. He was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 6 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. It happened as Earvin was forcibly escorted from his residential unit at the prison to a separate, segregated housing unit. Willie's current address is 415 Camden Rd, Mt Sterling, IL. 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Harris Announces Election Day Program, Third Illinois Prison Guard Convicted of Civil Rights Deprivation Resulting in Bodily Injury and Death and Obstruction Charges, Justice Department Secures $293,000 Jury Award Against City of Springfield, Illinois, for Discriminating Against People with Disabilities, Illinois Prison Guard Pleads Guilty To Inmate Assault That Resulted In Death. Sterling, Illinois. The indictment alleged that on May 17, 2018, Hedden, Sheffler and Banta were forcibly moving Earvin from residential housing to the Mount Sterling prisons segregation unit when they beat him, without justification, while he was handcuffed behind his back and posed no threat. Hedden also. Previously, Willie used to live in 301 E North St, Mt . The assault occurred as Earvin was forcibly escorted from his residential unit at the prison to a separate, segregated housing unit. He married Dona J. Taylor on October 31, 1975 in Mt. The court scheduled trial for Sheffler and Banta on June 28, 2021. . In addition, Hedden pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Sterling, Illinois. He was at first placed on paid administrative leave by the Illinois Department of Corrections and then put on an unpaid suspension beginning in late December 2019pending results of the criminal case. . According to court documents, a jury trial is now scheduled to begin November 3, 2021 for Alex Banta, of Quincy, and Todd Sheffler, of Mendon. Brooke Suzanne (Reische) Hedden, age 35, of Fort Myers, Florida and formerly of Mt. According to court documents, a jury trial is now scheduled to begin August 3, 2021 for Alex Banta, of Quincy, and Todd Sheffler, of Mendon. Anyone can read what you share. Peoria:(309) 671-7050 Peoria:(309) 671-7050 318 S. Sixth Street William Hedden Court, Arrest or Criminal Records DUIs Traffic Tickets Misdemeanors Felonies We Will Monitor for New Info Local, State, & Federal Court Documents Sensitive Legal Information Litigation Involvement We Will Monitor for New Info Status to see if Willie has sexual offenses. The incidents usually started with a conflict between a guard and prisoner, and, as a result, the prisoner was sent to segregation for discipline. He also confessed that he had persuaded a friend, who is a fellow prison employee, to delete a text message that he had sent him in which Sergeant Hedden admitted his involvement in beating Mr. Earvin, prosecutors said. Don't Threaten. (5), Outcome: Defendant pleaded guilty. A trial date has been delayed again for three former correctional guards accused in the 2018 death of an inmate in Mt. A third officer, Willie . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The trial of two former Illinois correctional officers accused of beating a 65-year-old inmate to death begins Monday in Springfield. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree has been a reporter for the Journal-Courier since May 2014. He also could face up to 20 years on a single count of conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. The Cahokia native worked with her school newspaper in various editor roles. Suspended for allegedly violating conduct standards were correctional Sgt. Earlier: Three Corrections officers charged. Sheffler and Banta are each charged with conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation of civil rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and death, conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct, and two counts of obstruction of justice. Willie celebrated 44th birthday on September 12. WBEZ Radio in Chicago reported that five days after Earvin was beaten, a staff member at the WICC went into a co-workers office at about 11 a.m., shut the door and said she needed to get something off her chest. 18:241.F: CONSPIRACY AGAINST RIGHTS - On or about May 17, 2018, in Brown County, the Defendant did willfully conspire to deprive an individual of civil rights in violation of 18:241 and 2. A grand jury indicted the correctional officers, who also face charges that they falsified reports and misled investigators, in connection with [] The trial for two former correctional guards accused in the 2018 death of an inmate in Mt. The City of Mount Sterling is located in Brown County in the State of Illinois. Defendant Banta shall give prompt notice to his probation officer of the date, times, and locations of his travel into Missouri. A locked padlock Three former Western Illinois Correctional Center officers are likely to face . An indictment filed Dec. 4, 2019, says Sheffler, Banta and Willie Hedden, employees at the WICC, conspired and agreed on May 17, 2018, to forcibly remove Larry Earvin, 65, of Chicago from his housing unit to segregation a unit where prisoners are sent for discipline. Mt Sterling Fire Department. Willie Hedden, 41, of Mount Sterling, and officer Alex Banta . Long was held Tuesday afternoon to discuss procedures for jury selection for the jury trial of Alex Banta of Quincy and Todd Sheffler of Mendon. According to the federal indictment, Hedden, Todd Sheffler and Alex Banta, assaulted Earvin without legal justification while he was restrained and while he posed no physical threat to the defendants or other correctional officers.. According to a federal indictment filed this week, Todd Sheffler, 51, of Mendon; Willie Hedden, 41, of Mt. Dora, FL. Willie Hedden, 43, of Mount Sterling, charged along . Willie Hedden, 42, of Mount Sterling, entered the plea to two counts of civil rights violations and one count of providing misleading information in the . He was born June 6, 1935 in Canton, Illinois the son of Benjamin Edward and Dottie Pearl Catlett Hedden. Willie Hedden, 42, a sergeant at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Todd Sheffler, Willie Hedden and Alex Banta are now scheduled to appear in front of the court at 10 a.m. July 22 for a pretrial conference and jury trial at 10 a.m. Aug. 4 after U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins approved a motion to continue filed by the defendants. In a written statement, Lindsey Hess, spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections said the department immediately launched an investigation following the 2018 incident and referred the case to the Illinois State Police within 24-hours. Surgery to remove a portion of his bowel followed the injury. Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal. Bantas attorney, Howard Feldman, is asking the court to redact a text message or reference to a text message prosecutors said was sent about the assault but later deleted. U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of Illinois, Three Illinois Prison Guards Indicted on Charges of Inmate Assault Resulting in Death and Obstruction of the Investigation, Peoria Man Sentenced to Almost 22 years in Prison for Armed Bank Robbery, Vandalia, Missouri Man Sentenced to 144 months in Prison for Bank Robbery, Girard Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and Possessing A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, Three Illinois Prison Guards Indicted On Charges of Inmate Assault Resulting In Death and Obstruction of The Investigation. Main Office: All officers are currently suspended. The assault left Earvin with 15 broken ribs, a punctured colon and two dozen or more abrasions, hemorrhages and lacerations. An indictment filed Dec. 4, 2019, says Sheffler, Banta and Willie Hedden, employees at the WICC, conspired and agreed on May 17, 2018, to forcibly remove Larry Earvin, 65, of Chicago from his housing unit to segregation a unit where prisoners are sent for discipline. Each count of conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct and obstruction carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Willie Hedden admitted he violated the civil rights of Larry Earvin, 65, while Earvin was handcuffed at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Three Illinois correctional officers made their initial appearance in federal court this morning following their arrest on charges related to the May 2018 assault of an inmate who later died, at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. PEORIA, Ill. A Peoria, Illinois, man, Dante Latice Williams, 51, formerly of the 700 block of NE Madison Street, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for ROCK ISLAND, Ill. 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