Wendi Owen
WHITE CO., Ill. - One of the individuals accused of assisting the White County Jail escapees last month has been sentenced on a pending matter in that county's court.
White County State's Attorney Denton Aud said that Wendi Owen, 46, was sentenced Wednesday, July 25, on a charge that was pending when the escape occurred: Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon, a Class 3 felony; for being in possession of a TASER back in 2017.
She had previously pled guilty to the offense on January 8 of this year with the sentencing hearing continued multiple times until Wednesday, Aud said. Her attorney, Bill Hoffeditz, had filed a motion to dismiss the charge on Monday of this week. Before starting the sentencing hearing, a lengthy argument on the motion was conducted, and Judge T. Scott Webb ultimately agreed with the state and denied the motion to dismiss, which meant the sentencing hearing was to proceed.
The state called one witness, Grayville Officer Michael Brown, who testified regarding the alleged facts underlying the new offenses related to the Aggravated Fleeing, Aiding a Fugitive, Aggravated Assault, and Criminal Damage of Government Property, for which Owen is currently in custody awaiting trial. Hoffeditz called no witnesses.
Aud said that based on Owen's history and event subsequent to her plea of guilty, he argued that Owen should be sentenced to 9 years in IDOC; Hoffeditz recommended a sentence of 3 years.
Ultimately, Webb sentenced Owen to 7.5 years in IDOC with a year of parole to follow.
Owen's pending case was reset to August 8, 2018, at 10 a.m.