Bond has been set at a half-million dollars in Marion County Court on Monday for a 61-year-old Centralia man facing seven felony charges in connection with a September home invasion and shooting.
Roger Carter of North Beech is charged with two Class X felony charges of home invasion and one Class X charge each of armed violence and aggravated battery with a firearm. Other felony counts filed include aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated battery, and criminal trespass to a residence with one or more persons present.
In the home invasion charges, Carter is accused of shooting one of the occupants, 26-year-old Anthony Hernandez, in the leg. In the second home invasion charge, he’s accused of threatening imminent force by bouncing a firearm against the nose of Hernandez’s mother. The aggravated battery with a firearm charge is also for allegedly shooting Hernandez in the leg. The other Class 3 felony aggravated battery is for allegedly bouncing a firearm off the nose of Hernandez’s mother.
Both of the home invasion charges carry an elevated sentence upon conviction. The one involving the shooting carries an extra 20 years in prison above the sentence handed down by the judge. The other home invasion charge has a 15-year sentence added over the judge’s decision. The armed violence charge carries a minimum 20-year sentence.
Carter was arrested when coming to the Centralia Police Station on Saturday. When questioned Carter allegedly claimed the home invasion was in retaliation for a burglary he believes Hernandez committed to a building he had items stored. Hernandez had reportedly been arrested by Centralia Police earlier while riding a bike taken in the burglary, but no charges have yet been brought in court as a result of the burglary.
Hernandez did not report being shot at the time the home invasion occurred, but later showed officers where the shot entered his hip and exited his buttocks. He told police he did not receive any hospital treatment.
Carter had a public defender appointed to represent him. If released on bond, he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims and witnesses. A preliminary hearing is set for November 29th.
