March 12, 2026/

Illinois Quick Hits: Correctional officer charged with sexual misconduct

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A correctional officer is charged with six counts of sexual misconduct and one count of official misconduct at the White County Jail.

Illinois State Police said an extensive investigation revealed that Darren R. Hays, 57, of Carmi, Illinois, engaged in a sexual relationship with a female inmate while he was on duty at the facility.

MAN CHARGED WITH THREATENING JUDGES

A Libertyville man is charged with sending threatening letters to federal judges in Texas and Florida.

Prosecutors say James Lebuhn, 65, mailed letters in March 2025 to U.S. District Court judges in Amarillo, Texas, and Fort Pierce, Florida for the purpose of making a true threat.

Arraignment is set for Thursday, March 26 in Chicago.

CREDIT UNION ROBBERY SUSPECT NABBED

FBI Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Ruben Marchand-Morales says a rapid response by Swansea police helped neutralize a bank robbery last week.

Deondre E. Jones, 55, is charged with robbing a credit union in Swansea on the afternoon of March 6 and fleeing on foot. According to the federal complaint, police officers arrested Jones about eight minutes later.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Higher ed spending up as enrollment plummets at Illinois universities

Higher ed spending up as enrollment plummets at Illinois universities

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A former state lawmaker says Illinois is now tops in the nation on per-student spending in higher...
World's largest retailer struggles to keep costs down as tariffs hit

World’s largest retailer struggles to keep costs down as tariffs hit

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The world's largest retailer says it's doing everything it can to keep prices low as its costs increase each week due to the tariffs at...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey City Council for September 2, 2025

With Alderman Tanner Brown serving as Mayor Pro Tem in the absence of Mayor Mike Nichols, the Casey City Council's first meeting of September was dominated by positive reflections on...
billy-decker-1757676411

Billy Gene Decker, 91

Updated Service Information as of September 5, 2025. Billy Gene Decker, 91, of Casey, Illinois, passed away at 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health...
Boston judge orders Trump to give back Harvard funding

Boston judge orders Trump to give back Harvard funding

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square A Boston federal judge this week blocked the Trump administration’s $2.2 billion funding freeze against Harvard after the government's claims of antisemitism. The U.S. District...
Arizona congressman backs bill protecting ICE agents

Arizona congressman backs bill protecting ICE agents

By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh wants to protect ICE agents. The Arizona congressman is among a handful of House representatives, all of them Republicans, to introduce...
Northwestern president steps down amid federal funding cuts

Northwestern president steps down amid federal funding cuts

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square Northwestern University President Michael Schill resigned this week amid the federal funding freeze by the Trump administration. Schill has served as the 17th president of...
Feds sue Southern California Edison over Eaton, Fairview fires

Feds sue Southern California Edison over Eaton, Fairview fires

By Dave MasonThe Center Square The U.S. Department of Justice is suing electric utility company Southern California Edison for tens of millions of dollars over the devastating Eaton and Fairview...

WATCH: Trump renames DOD to ‘Department of War’

By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square What’s in a name? Military victories, according to the Trump administration. The Department of Defense is reverting to its old name – the Department of...
Push to ban stock trading by Congress follows IL rep’s reported violations

Push to ban stock trading by Congress follows IL rep’s reported violations

By Jim TalamontiThe Center Square After an Illinois congressman reportedly broke the law with late disclosures of stock trades, another member of the state’s delegation is urging colleagues to prohibit...
Federal judge strikes down New Hampshire's DEI ban

Federal judge strikes down New Hampshire’s DEI ban

By Chris WadeThe Center Square A federal judge in New Hampshire has temporarily blocked a state law targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools. The ruling issued Thursday...
Illinois quick hits: Giannoulias orders village to stop sharing data with CBP

Illinois quick hits: Giannoulias orders village to stop sharing data with CBP

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square License plate camera data Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has ordered the Village of Forest Park and Motorola Solutions to...
CA, Delaware attorneys general concerned about OpenAI

CA, Delaware attorneys general concerned about OpenAI

By Dave MasonThe Center Square California Attorney General Rob Bonta is investigating OpenAI after parents blamed the company for their teenage son’s suicide in a lawsuit. Bonta’s office said the...
New York AG to appeal ruling tossing Trump's $454M civil fraud penalty

New York AG to appeal ruling tossing Trump’s $454M civil fraud penalty

By Chris WadeThe Center Square New York Attorney General Letitia James will appeal a ruling that tossed out the half-billion-dollar penalty against President Donald Trump as part of the guilty...
Chevron petitons Supreme Court to move lawsuits to federal court

Chevron petitons Supreme Court to move lawsuits to federal court

By Nolan MckendryThe Center Square Chevron and other oil companies say parish lawsuits over World War II-era oil work belong in federal not state court because the companies were assisting...