A 31-year-old Carmi man and a 43-year-old Grayville man are both headed to the pen following plea deals in White County court Monday. Melvin Lewis of Carmi was sentenced to 11 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections Monday. That includes 6 years for a 2024 conviction related to an Aggravated Battery to a Peace Officer charge. White County States Attorney Chris Neal says that sentence will be served consecutive to a 5 year sentence for another Aggravated Battery to a Peace Officer charge from 2025 and 3 year sentences for 2025 convictions on Theft charges.
Additionally, Tyrel Linder of Grayville will be sent to prison for 5 years. He agreed to a plea deal
related to late 2025 charges of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and 6 counts of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. Neal says 3 years is the maximum sentence for a class 4 felony as it relates to the cruelty to animal charges and that case was set for a jury trial later this month before the plea deal was reached.