Galesburg Community News is dedicated to following and informing readers about the most serious charges and crimes in Knox County, from the time of arrest to the final decision of the judicial system. These include felonies charged as Class X or Class 1. In Illinois, Class X felonies are the most serious and carry a mandatory minimum sentence of six years in prison upon conviction. Class 1 felonies typically carry a prison sentence of at least four years.
ABINGDON — A routine traffic stop in Abingdon led to the discovery of 26 grams of cocaine and a Class 1 felony charge against a Milan woman on June 28, according to a police report.
A Knox County sheriff’s deputy on duty observed a 2005 Buick LeSabre leaving Casey’s, 101 S. Monroe St., at 10:51 p.m. Upon running the vehicle’s registration, the deputy found that it was suspended and assigned to a different vehicle.
Just over an hour earlier, the deputy had seen the same vehicle enter the parking lot. At that time, three male passengers exited, got on motorcycles already parked there and left.
The deputy made a traffic stop in the 800 block of North Monroe Street. The driver was identified as Desiree L. Skelley, 34, of Milan. Skelley told the deputy she had just purchased the vehicle and had placed the registration from her previous car on it. She produced the title, which had not been signed or dated.
Because of the smell of cannabis, the deputy searched the vehicle and found “a big bag of a white powdery substance” on the floor of the driver’s side. The substance field-tested positive for cocaine. Also found were a box containing wire and pipes with residue that tested positive for cocaine, $35, a Tic Tac container full of cocaine, and a small container of suspected cannabis.
Skelley was arrested and charged with Class 1 felony possession of cocaine between 15 and 100 grams. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 10.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
