SALINE CO.— It appears guards and staff at the Illinois Youth Center (IYC, teen prison), located at 1201 West Poplar St., Harrisburg, continue to be attacked.
Do to the secrecy surrounding the prison, mainly because it houses juveniles, many are beginning to wonder if some of the continued violence isn’t a do to conditions inside the facility and how the inmates are treated.
Others believe it is just a sign of the times and how out-of-control today’s teens are.
However, more than a few staffers have either questionable backgrounds and/or have been involved in questionable activity.
The most recent outburst of violence at the youth prison is brought to light in the case of 19-year-old Jarrod Robinson.
Mr. Robinson has been charged with two counts of Aggravated Battery, the first alleging that on July 17 he knowingly caused bodily harm to Youth and Family Services Specialist Jeff Weatherly in that he struck Weatherly about the face and kicked him about the knee.
The second count alleges that, on the same day, Mr. Robinson caused bodily harm to Juvenile Justice Specialist Roy Turner in that he struck Turner in the face with a closed fist.
It is unclear why, if the incident took place in July, IYC didn’t bother asking for charges until October.
Due to the nature of the facility, it is unlikely the public, who pays for the facility and staff, will find out why there has been a delay or what conditions surrounding Robinson were like minutes leading up to the alleged violent outburst.
Unrelated broken plate leads to felony charges
Authorities were dispatched Oct. 25 at 5:50 p.m. to a residence at 605 Boyd St.
Patty Stark contacted authorities and told them that Jimmy Ray McGill, 37, of 155 Cook Rd., Eldorado had broken a plate and that they needed to get there in a hurry.
When Eldorado officer Clint Hooper arrived he pulled up blocking the driveway and observed a female pointing to the back of the residence.
About that time officer Hooper heard a motorcycle start up and spotted McGill headed toward the driveway.
Hooper exited his cruiser and motioned for McGill to stop.
McGill revved the engine, spun the bike tire in the grass and made a run for Boyd St., swerving around the officer.
As McGill looked over his shoulder after swerving around the officer he lost control of the bike, went down and was thrown clear.
As officer Hooper started toward McGill he got up off the ground, walked over to the downed bike, grabbed the handlebars and started to pick it up.
Both Hooper and another officer, who arrived on scene to assist, drew their TASER and ordered McGill to stop,
At first McGill took what Hooper described as an aggressive stance and started toward him, but following several verbal commands to get on the ground, McGill complied.
McGill was handed over to emergency personnel and transported to nearby Ferrell Hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Sometime later Ferrell Hospital contacted authorities and requested an officer reporting that McGill was in the emergency room “freaking out.”
Colleen A. Jones, RN at Ferrell said McGill came in with a laceration to his hand and became violent and aggressive toward the ER staff.
Jones advised McGill scared the other patients in ER then removed the dressing on his wound allowing it to bleed.
She said he would not allow a nurse to reapply a bandage.
McGill was taken into custody and thus searched which lead to the discovery of a Lortab.
McGill was ultimately charged with one count each of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Resisting a Peace Officer, Disorderly Conduct and Improper Lane Usage.
He was released from custody after Patty Stark posted $1,000 on his behalf.
Jimmy Ray McGill is a convicted felon from 2004 when he was found guilty of Criminal Damage to Government Property and sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Man charged with arson and flood
Daniel Roark, 61, of 1 North Main St., Harrisburg has been charged with Criminal Damage to Government Supported Property after authorities say on Saturday, Oct. 20, at approximately 7:30 a.m. telecommunicators Karen McClusky and Allison Wilson watched as Roark entered the lobby doors of the county detention center and go into the restroom, then leave the building several minutes later.
Nearly two hours later correctional officer Marty Wilkins contacted dispatch and advised that he received a call that there was water coming out of the female restroom.
When Wilson checked she found no water running from the female restroom but when she checked the men’s room she found the sinks had been clogged and water turned on.
Wilson and McClusky advised they knew nobody else used the restrooms that Saturday except for Roark.
Water had entered the lobby area and soaked into the carpet located in a nearby courtroom and state’s attorney’s office.
Court documents show Roark was also charged with one count of Arson after authorities say he torched a trailer located at 212 South Granger belonging to Thomas Folder.
Roark has been housed in the county detention center on $5,500 cash bond.