A 38-year-old Centralia man promised a judge he would rob again when his request to stay in the Marion County Jail was denied after he was charged in connection with two Christmas burglaries.
Mitchell Finley of Johnson Street was involved in two more contacts with sheriff’s deputies after getting out of jail following the Friday court hearing, but they did not result in his arrest. The first call involved him allegedly yelling at kids in Odin as he walked past, while the second incident, he was found sitting behind the air conditioners at Odin School. Finley was told to move along as he told the deputy he was walking back to Centralia.
Finley was charged Friday with an early-morning Christmas burglary and criminal damage to property at the Crossroads Church on Walnut Hill Road, southeast of Centralia. Deputies say they were called when the burglar alarm sounded. They allegedly found a window broken out of a door, and Finley was inside, apparently trying to find food. Finley was taken to the Marion County Jail, but was later released on a notice to appear in court.
Then on Christmas night, Finley allegedly broke into the Kaskaskia Workshop on Swan Avenue in the Industrial Park. He was also charged with burglary and criminal damage in that case. State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth says Finley later walked to the Wamac Police Department, where he admitted to an officer he had committed the burglary. He was turned over to Centralia Police, who took him to the Marion County Jail to await a Friday Court appearance.
Hudspeth says under the safety act, Judge Mark Kelley had no choice but to release Finley since burglary is not a violent crime. He notes that the state law is frustrating in some of its provisions, as in this case, where it is almost certain there will be another victim.
Finley had the public defender appointed to represent him at his court appearance and was released until a February 10th first appearance with an attorney and preliminary hearing.
