Bureau County grand jury returns indictments

PRINCETON — The following cases were considered by the Bureau County grand jury on Oct. 12:

• Holly M. Pierce, 31, Galva was indicted for two counts of the Class 2 felony offense of theft. She is accused of obtaining, by deception, control over property of an owner of a Bureau County company by using the company credit card and the owner’s personal credit card for unauthorized purchases of personal items for use by the defendant out of the company credit card account knowing the bills would be paid by the company and by owner of the company. A deputy from the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office testified before the grand jury. The defendant is free after having posted bail in the amount of $50,000, 10% to apply.

• Jorge Castillo-Acuna, 57, Baja, Calif., was indicted for the Class X felony offense of unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine). He is accused of possessing with the intent to deliver more than 900 grams of a substance containing cocaine. An agent from the Tri-DENT Drug Task Force testified before the grand jury. The defendant is in custody of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with bond set in the amount of $2,000,000, 10% to apply.

• Alex O. Stuggis, 43, Spring Valley was indicted for the Class 1 felony offense of unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (cocaine) and the Class 2 felony offense of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is accused of possessing with the intent to deliver 1 gram or more but less than 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine. He is also a convicted felon and accused of having in his possession a firearm at the time of the arrest. An agent from the Tri-DENT Drug Task Force testified before the grand jury. The defendant is in custody of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with bond set in the amount of $100,000, 10% to apply.

• Gary A. Burcham, 52, Neponset was indicted for the Class 3 felony offense of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and the Class 4 felony offense of driving while license revoked (subsequent offense). He is accused of possessing less than 5 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine. He is also accused of operating a motor vehicle at a time when his license is revoked and having been convicted of driving while license revoked on a previous occasion. An officer from the Conservation IDNR Officer of Law Enforcement testified before the grand jury. The defendant is in custody of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with bond set in the amount of $30,000, 10% to apply.

• Angela Phan, 40, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was indicted for the Class X felony offenses of unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and methamphetamine trafficking. She is accused of possessing with the intent to deliver more than 900 grams of methamphetamine. An agent from Tri-DENT Task Force testified before the grand jury. The defendant is in custody of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with bond set in the amount of $2,000,000, 10% to apply.

• Sean Michael Lowry Smyth, 35, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, was indicted for the Class X felony offenses of unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and methamphetamine trafficking. He is accused of possessing with the intent to deliver more than 900 grams of methamphetamine. An agent from Tri-DENT Task Force testified before the grand jury. The defendant is in custody of the Bureau County Sheriff’s Office with bond set in the amount of $2,000,000, 10% to apply.

These indictments were presented to the grand jury by State’s Attorney Geno Caffarini and First Assistant States Attorney Thomas Briddick and were returned before Judge Marc Bernabei and Judge James Andreoni.

These indictments are only accusations against the defendants. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty.