LEE COUNTY, Ill. — Three men were arrested following a theft investigation conducted by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Sunday evening, deputies arrested 26-year-old Bryan Kettley and 20-year-old Codi Despain, both of Dixon, after determining they allegedly cut wires to a fuel tank and siphoned diesel fuel from the Nelson Township Building. The stolen fuel was loaded into a gasoline-powered pickup truck and an ATV.
When the truck became inoperable after being fueled with diesel, the suspects attempted to escape on the ATV, which also broke down and was abandoned nearby. Kettley and Despain were charged with:
Criminal damage to government property (Class 4 felony)
Theft of government property (Class 4 felony)
Theft under $500 (Class A misdemeanor)
Both men were processed and released under the Illinois SAFE-T Act.
During the investigation, deputies also arrested 22-year-old London Thomas of Dixon for obstructing justice. Thomas is alleged to have coordinated moving the abandoned ATV to private property to conceal it. He was also taken to the Lee County Jail and released under the SAFE-T Act.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to urge the public to report suspicious activity to help prevent theft and vandalism in the community.
