Sangamon County, Illinois – The Sangamon County Board’s regular meeting will take place as scheduled on Tuesday, September 10th, along with all committee meetings. However, the board meeting will be largely procedural. No substantive business, reports, presentations, or public comment will occur during this meeting.
The Board will quickly adjourn after a roll call and the approval of the previous meetings’ minutes until a special meeting on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:00 PM to be held at the Convention Center. This special meeting will cover all September business, public comment, and the possible confirmation of a new Sheriff.
The Sheriff Applicant Review Committee, established by County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter and chaired by retired 7th District Circuit Court Judge Pat Kelley, has selected seven finalists from an initial pool of fifteen applicants. Interviews with the finalists will begin next week, and each candidate will undergo a comprehensive background check.
In a joint statement, Chairman Van Meter and Committee Chairman Kelley said, “We are truly thankful for the interest and willingness to serve shown by so many candidates. The Sheriff’s Office is crucial to public safety and community trust, and we are confident that from these seven finalists, we will find the best person to lead with integrity and transparency.”
Finalists:
Timothy Becker (Athens Chief of Police; Retired Chief of Staff from the Illinois State Police)
Bryce Benton (Illinois State Police, Division of Criminal Investigation, Intelligence Command, Special Agent/Task Force Officer)
Paula Crouch (Chief Deputy Circuit Clerk of Sangamon County; Retired Lieutenant from the Springfield Police Department)
Nancy Finley (Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant)
Mike Harth (Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant)
Chris Mueller (Sangamon County Central Dispatch, Executive Director; Retired Lieutenant from the Springfield Police Department)
Bryan Pruitt (Retired from the Illinois State Police, Captain of District 10/Troop 7)
Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan, after finishing rummaging around, while a Springfield Police Officer looks on, not paying much attention
Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield Police Sergeant, who was supposed to be celebrating his retirement today, is accused of being intoxicated and causing a motorcycle crash on the evening of September 5th, around 9:20 p.m., on East Lake Shore Drive.
An eyewitness, Jason Rule, reported that Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Egan, driving a Toyota 4Runner, made a left turn from the farthest northbound lane on East Lake Shore Drive into the entrance of the Anchor Boat Club. In doing so, he cut off a motorcycle carrying two passengers, a man and a woman, causing the motorcycle to collide with the rear passenger side of Egan’s vehicle. “He didn’t even turn into the Anchor Boat Club from the turning lane; he pulled right in front of the motorcycle,” Rule stated.
(LEFT) Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan’s 2018 Toyota 4Runner after the crash and (RIGHT) the motorcycle that Eagan collided with
Rule, who was driving behind the motorcycle at approximately 43 mph, also mentioned that when Springfield Police arrived, they provided Egan with at least four cups of water and gum, and that “he smelled like bourbon.”
(VIDEO) Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan, after finishing rummaging around, while a Springfield Police Officer looks on, not paying much attention
Several individuals who arrived at the scene after the crash, including a Springfield Leaks reporter, observed what appeared to be special treatment from the officers. Egan was seen going in and out of his vehicle, rummaging around, and stumbling several times. “Why does he get special privileges?” one observer questioned. Another witness recalled Egan saying, “My buddies are going to take care of me.” Notably, Egan was neither handcuffed nor placed in the back of a police vehicle but instead allowed to sit in the front seat of an Illinois State Trooper’s vehicle with the front passenger door open.
Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan sitting in the front seat of an Illinois State Police Patrol Vehicle
(VIDEO) Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan sitting in the front seat of an Illinois State Police Patrol Vehicle
Illinois State Police reported at the scene that Egan refused to perform a field sobriety test. However, Troopers kept Egan on the scene for approximately four hours before taking him for a blood test.
(VIDEO) Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan, after refusing a field sobriety test, is being led to the front seat of an Illinois State Police patrol vehicle without being arrested.
According to Illinois State Police Sergeant Melissa Albert-Lopez, a preliminary investigation indicates that the following occurred: ISP Troop 6 was requested by the Springfield Police Department to conduct a traffic crash investigation at the mentioned location.
The investigation revealed that Egan, driving a 2018 Toyota Tundra (Unit 1), was traveling northbound on East Lake Shore Drive, while a 2004 Kawasaki motorcycle (Unit 2) was traveling southbound. Egan failed to yield the right-of-way and made a left turn in front of the motorcycle, resulting in the motorcycle striking the side of Egan’s vehicle. Both the driver and passenger of the motorcycle were ejected and sustained serious injuries, requiring hospitalization.
Egan, a 50-year-old Springfield resident, was cited for the crash. The Illinois State Police have contacted the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, and additional charges may be filed pending the results of a toxicology report. No further information is available at this time.
We spoke with a spokesperson for Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher, who informed us that the Springfield Police Department sent out a press release. However, we have not received it yet. We will update this when we do.
Springfield Police Sergeant Michael A. Eagan leans on his vehicle while a Springfield Police Officer speaks with an Illinois State Police Trooper
Egan, who was not booked into the Sangamon County Jail, was scheduled to have a retirement party today at Anchor Boat Club, located at 407 E Lake Shore Drive, after serving with the Springfield Police Department for 23 years. However, this morning the Anchor Boat Club posted on their Facebook page, “This evening’s retirement party for Mike Egan has been cancelled.”
Anchor Boat Club Facebook Post from This Morning
We are told that the driver of the motorcycle, Trevor Hopkins, is in stable condition, and the passenger, Chelsea Farley, is still in the Intensive Care Unit awaiting surgery for multiple injuries but is showing signs of brain activity.
Springfield, Illinois – On September 4, 2024, Chane L. Jones, a 42-year-old male, escaped custody from the Sangamon County Jail. Chane L. Jones was incarcerated for a warrant regarding burglary and theft and was booked into the Sangamon County Jail on September 3rd. Jones was able to mingle with three other inmates, who were administratively released from custody, and exit the jail.
Chane L Jones was apprehended in the 1100 block of North 5th Street in Springfield by US Marshalls and deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Jones is in custody at the Sangamon County Jail and faces additional charges.
This incident remains under investigation by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Springfield, Illinois – In our ongoing coverage of the Springfield Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit and its treatment of people on the East Side of Springfield, Springfield Leaks has obtained body-worn camera footage of the arrest of Jaylin Netters, age 28. Community activist Samuel Johnson, who held a press conference with Jaylin Netters, his mother Keyda Netters, and an activist group, claims that this is yet another instance of the Street Crimes Unit targeting Black individuals on the East Side of Springfield.
Johnson stated that officers attempted to gain unlawful entry into Netters’ vehicle by claiming it had illegal tinted windows, even though they did not see Netters drive the vehicle and it was legally parked on the side of the road. “This is yet another attempt by the Street Crimes Unit to unlawfully enter a vehicle and target individuals who match a certain description and resemble me. Now, we also have a dog attacking us while we are on the ground. This just looks like modern-day slavery,” Johnson said.
Netters was arrested for aggravated battery to a police officer, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He was released from the Sangamon County Jail and was not formally charged.
Jaylin Netters – Dog bite wound from Springfield Police K-9 “Chaos”
Springfield, Illinois – Sean Patrick Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy accused of murdering Sonya Massey in her home after responding to her 911 call about a prowler, has replaced his Naperville, Illinois attorney with a high-profile Springfield criminal defense attorney.
Attorney Mark Wykoff has taken over from Naperville attorney Brian Sexton as Grayson’s counsel, joining Daniel Fultz of the law firm Brown, Hay & Stephens
Today, Grayson will appear in a Sangamon County courtroom at 3:30 PM for a pre-trial motion seeking his release.
Wykoff, who has previously secured the release of two clients facing murder charges, stated in the motion that Grayson would remain at his home in Riverton, Illinois, where he lives with his fiancée. Grayson, a veteran who received a general discharge from the United States Army under honorable conditions, is scheduled to marry in October. He has also recently undergone a significant medical procedure and is still receiving ongoing care.
Wykoff also noted in his motion that all firearms and other weapons have been removed from Grayson’s home and that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board has suspended his certification as a police officer.
Stay tuned to Springfield Leaks for more updates to this article.
Press Conference at Oscars Corner Store in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois — The Springfield, Illinois Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit is being accused of targeting people on the East Side of Springfield and turning minor traffic offenses into an opportunity to conduct traffic stops in order to search their vehicles for contraband or firearms.
Left to Right: Barbara Hampton (Mother), Ardell Hampton Jr., and Attorney Sara Vig
According to police reports, on July 8, 2024, around 7:47 p.m., Springfield Police Officers Sgt. Michael R. Raynolds and Patrol Officer Corey Cortes reported that they observed a black Nissan sedan traveling southbound in the 1000 block of N. 9th Street. The vehicle had heavily tinted passenger-side windows, which appeared to be illegal. Sgt. Raynolds noted that, as he was driving northbound on 9th Street and observed the Nissan with visibly illegal window tints, the driver’s window was partially rolled down. The driver looked at their vehicle and continued to look toward them after passing. Sgt. Raynolds noted, “From my training and experience, I know that subjects who are in possession of illegal contraband, specifically firearms and narcotics, will view police and then continue to watch officers for their reaction.” Sgt. Raynolds then stated that he conducted a U-turn based on Ardell Hampton Jr.’s eye contact, got behind the vehicle, and exited his squad car to approach the driver’s door. “As I got out of the vehicle, the driver also got out of his vehicle. I told the driver he needed to stop because I was conducting a traffic stop. The driver advised that he did not need to stop. I then observed the subject (Ardell) bending down for a second, and I believed he was bending down to discard evidence and flee on foot. I know from my training and experience that subjects who possess illegal contraband will commonly distance themselves from their vehicle. However, surveillance video from Oscar’s Corner Store does not show that the officers had their red/blue emergency lights on when they conducted their traffic stop.”
In Officer Cortes’s report, he stated that Ardell quickly exited the vehicle and attempted to walk away, and that Sgt. Raynolds “gave him several lawful orders to stay in the vehicle and to stop walking away.” Officer Cortes also noted, “I know based on my training and experience that subjects illegally possessing firearms or contraband often attempt to quickly distance themselves from it.” However, after searching Ardell’s vehicle, officers did not find any contraband or firearms.
Officer Cortes wrote that Ardell instantly became hostile and argumentative, refused to comply with lawful orders, and attempted to “walk away even after being advised that they were conducting a traffic stop, meaning he was detained.” According to the body-worn camera footage, it appears that Ardell got out of the vehicle, dropped his keys, and bent down to pick them up. Officers then approached him, grabbed him, asked if he had something illegal on him, took him to the ground, and cuffed him. While on the ground, they asked him, “Do you have a gun on you?”
Officer Cortes continues in his report, writing, “Based on my observations, I believed that Ardell was fighting with police due to having contraband on his person and potentially a firearm. I attempted to grab his right arm, but he kept it close to his body, and I was unable to obtain control of his arm. Ardell had a significant height advantage over us, and to prevent him from continuing to fight and to de-escalate the situation, I grabbed Ardell by his head and the hoodie of his sweatshirt and pulled him to the ground.”
Ardell was initially transported to the Springfield Police Department because he told officers he was a juvenile. However, officers confirmed he was 20 years old and transported him to the Sangamon County Jail. At the Sangamon County Jail, Ardell complained of a headache and wanted to go to the hospital. Ardell was returned to the officer’s squad car and eventually given a notice to appear in court. He was also asked if he wanted a ride to the hospital, but he refused. He was then told that his mother and father were at the Springfield Police Department, given directions, and instructed to walk there.
Community Activist, Samuel Johnson, compares the current situation to the issues faced by former Sangamon County Sheriff Sean Grayson in Logan County, Illinois. Grayson is accused of murdering Sonya Massey in her home after believing she intended to throw a pot of hot water at him. In Logan County, it was reported that “Grayson stated he saw a woman suspiciously slide down in her seat in a parked pickup truck after making eye contact with him.” Johnson questions, “Are we now pulling people over and targeting them because of eye contact?”
Johnson also mentioned that, prior to this incident, he had attempted to reach out to Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher, as well as former Mayor Jim Langfelder, about the “Jump Out Boys” to arrange a meeting on policing and potential changes on the East Side. However, his calls, text messages, and emails have gone unanswered. When asked if he still wants to have this discussion with Mayor Buscher, Johnson replied, “Yes, I would still like to sit down and discuss an executive order that would establish a relationship between the Mayor’s office and the community, aiming to build solutions for the problems that persist between the police department and the citizens they are meant to protect.”
Johnson also stressed the need for stop receipts to be given to citizens who have encounters with the police. Johnson cited an Illinois law (725 ILCS 5/107-14), which states:
Temporary questioning without arrest. (a) A peace officer, after having identified himself as a peace officer, may stop any person in a public place for a reasonable period of time when the officer reasonably infers from the circumstances that the person is committing, is about to commit or has committed an offense as defined in Section 102-15 of this Code, and may demand the name and address of the person and an explanation of his actions. Such detention and temporary questioning will be conducted in the vicinity of where the person was stopped. (b) Upon completion of any stop under subsection (a) involving a frisk or search, and unless impractical, impossible, or under exigent circumstances, the officer shall provide the person with a stop receipt which provides the reason for the stop and contains the officer's name and badge number. This subsection (b) does not apply to searches or inspections for compliance with the Fish and Aquatic Life Code, the Wildlife Code, the Herptiles-Herps Act, or searches or inspections for routine security screenings at facilities or events. For the purposes of this subsection (b), "badge" means an officer's department issued identification number associated with his or her position as a police officer with that department.
Hampton is being represented by Attorney Sara Vig of Vig Law P.C., which is located at 1100 S. 5th St. in Springfield, IL.
Springfield, Illinois – On July 6, 2024, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 2868 S. Hoover Ave. to investigate a call regarding a prowler.
Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson, who has since been fired and criminally charged with first-degree murder, along with another Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy, made contact with the 911 caller, Sonya Massey, who said she needed assistance. During that encounter, Massey was fatally shot once in the face by Grayson.
The family and the community have protested to have the body camera footage reviewed, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney has released the footage.
There will be a peace march today at 3:00 p.m., starting at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, located at 908 S. Martin Luther King Drive. The march will proceed to Comer Cox Park, located at 301 S. Martin Luther King Drive.
Update: On behalf of Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is posting the body worn camera (BWC) video from the officer-involved shooting of Ms. Sonya Massey on July 6, 2024. The release of this video is occurring after consultation with the family of Sonya Massey.
“My prayers are with the family of Sonya Massey, and I commend the Illinois State Police for conducting an expedited investigation into her tragic death,” said State’s Attorney Milhiser. “The State’s Attorney’s Office is dedicated to pursuing justice through the prosecution of this case.”
On July 6, 2024, at approximately 12:50 a.m., Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call in the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue in Springfield. Former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson and another deputy made contact with the caller, Sonya Massey, at her residence. During the interaction inside the home of Ms. Massey, former Deputy Grayson discharged his firearm striking Ms. Massey and killing her. The Illinois State Police were contacted to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting.
The investigation was conducted in an expedited timeframe and was first evaluated under Illinois law for the use of deadly force. After a review of the ISP investigation, the State’s Attorney determined the evidence did not support a finding that former Deputy Sean Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force, and the case was presented to a Sangamon County Grand Jury. On July 17, 2024, the Grand Jury returned a five-count indictment including three counts of First Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, and Official Misconduct. On July 17, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued, and Grayson was taken into custody. He remains in custody.
Left – Now-Fired Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean P. Grayson Right – Sonya Massey
Springfield, Illinois – Springfield Leaks obtained details from the body camera footage of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, who was killed by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy.
On July 6, 2024, now-fired Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean P. Grayson responded to 2868 Hoover St. to investigate a call regarding a prowler. Grayson and another Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy made contact with the 911 caller, Sonya Massey, who said she needed assistance. Massey appeared calm, possibly unwell, and not aggressive. She weighed approximately 110 pounds.
Deputies entered Massey’s home to gather further information, and ensure the residence was safe. According to sources, Massey was at no time under arrest.
Deputy Grayson noticed a pot on the stove and allowed Massey to remove it to prevent any accidental fires. The pot was located in another room of the home, separated by a large counter.
During this time, the other deputy was clearing the house and noted nothing dangerous. Grayson then made a comment about the pot, which apparently contained heated water. Massey responded verbally and set the pot of water down on a counter in the kitchen. Grayson remained in the living room area of the home.
Despite his distance and relative cover, Grayson drew his 9mm firearm, not the less-than-lethal TASER located on his duty vest, and threatened to shoot Massey in the face. Seeing the drawn weapon, Massey put her hands in the air and stated, “I’m sorry,” while ducking for cover behind the counter that separated her and the defendant.
Grayson, with his firearm still drawn, proceeded to close the significant gap between him and Ms. Massey. He then aggressively yelled at Massey to put the pot down.
Grayson then fired his duty weapon three times in the direction of Massey, striking her in the face once. Only at this point did Grayson activate his body-worn camera. However, the body-worn camera of the other deputy was activated when he first arrived on the scene and remained on during the entirety of the events.
Afterward, the other deputy announced he was going to retrieve a medical kit from his vehicle, but Grayson instructed him not to due to the severity of Massey’s injury. Despite this, the other deputy still rendered aid and stayed with Massey until medical help arrived. Grayson did not attempt to render aid to Ms. Massey at any point.
An independent investigation of Grayson’s actions was conducted by the Illinois State Police. An expert in the field of “use of force” reviewed the recordings from the body-worn cameras of both deputies. The expert concluded that Grayson was not justified in his use of deadly force. He likened the scenario to an officer intentionally and unnecessarily placing himself in front of a moving vehicle and then justifying the use of force due to fear of being struck.
In an attempt to keep Grayson in custody, today at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 5B, Sangamon County prosecutors will argue in front of a judge that “Grayson’s disregard of his training as a law enforcement officer and his disregard for human life are evidenced by clear and convincing evidence that he is a danger to persons in the community. He has ample access to firearms and has shown a willingness to use lethal force despite the availability of non-deadly alternatives when there is little to no threat to his bodily safety.”
