Law and Order Lake County
August 7, 2012 3:02PM
Updated: September 9, 2012 6:17AM
Charges of burglary, theft and possession of a sawed-off shotgun have been filed in Lake Superior Court against a Hobart man charged with burglarizing a neighbor’s home.
Dustin Scott Stevenson, 24, of the 1800 block of East 56th Avenue, faces six to 20 years if convicted of the most serious of the charges.
A 12-gauge shotgun, 12/20 gauge over-and-under Ducks Unlimited silver anniversary edition shotgun and a crossbow with a total value of $1,850 were reported stolen Thursday by the homeowner.
A witness told police she saw Stevenson carrying items under a blanket from James Rydlewski’s backyard along the fence on Thursday. The following day, police set up surveillance from the witness’ backyard and saw Stevenson walk to the neighbor’s garage and return to his parent’s home at 1845 E. 56th Avenue with something under a blue blanket.
Police searched the home with his mother’s permission and found the stock of a shotgun and a portion of the cut-off barrel inside a kitchen garbage can.
Police talked to a neighbor who admitted he helped Stevenson cut up the shotgun, which was found hidden under the neighbor’s workbench.
The victim told police he was unsure how Stevenson was getting inside because he has never found any evidence of forced entry. Officers working the case remembered finding several keys inside a coat in Stevenson’s closet.
One of the keys was to Rydlewski’s back door. During the search, police found one of Rydlewski’s checks, his driver’s license and Social Security card.
Highland
Probation for
confinement case
A Highland man was placed on probation for two years for confinement.
Alexander Richard Alonzo. 20, admitted in Lake Superior Court that he confined a woman on March 14 at his home in the 9600 block of Farmer Drive.
Alonzo must serve this sentence consecutive to sentences in four pending cases before Lake Superior Court Judge Julie Cantrell and consecutive to a Schererville Town Court case. He must complete an abuse intervention management program and pay $368 in restitution to the victim.
Alonzo had faced two to eight years on the original confinement charge, which was dismissed along with misdemeanor charges of battery, interference with reporting a crime and criminal mischief.
Hammond
8 years for serious neglect of baby
A Calumet City, Ill., man was sentenced to eight years for neglect of a dependent in a case involving his infant daughter.
Orlando Wilburn, 29, admitted he put the baby in a situation that endangered her life or health and resulted in her being seriously injured.
On July 13, 2009, Wilburn was with the child at a Hammond home while the baby’s mother was at work. The baby susffered serious and permanent injuries “which were the result of Orlando Wilburn’s inattentiveness,” according to plea documents,
The child suffered bleeding on the brain, retinal hemorrhages in both eyes, seizures and clinical evidence of brain trauma. The baby’s vision and hearing were affected as a result. The child was 8 months old at the time of the crime.
Lake Superior Court Judge Clarence Murray ordered Wilburn to serve five years in prison, followed by three years in Lake County Community Corrections Kimbrough Work Program.
