15 arrested Tuesday on multiple charges

Union County State's Attorney Tyler R. Edmonds and Union County Sheriff David E. Livesay announced Tuesday that federal, state and local law enforcement officers operating under the newly introduced Operation FASTEN Initiative served arrest warrants on 15 individuals early this morning in connection with an ongoing investigation of burglaries and stolen firearms.

Most of the 15 were indicted Nov. 19 by the Union County Grand Jury following a two-year investigation led by the Union County Sheriff's Department and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Combined, the 15 face over 100 felony counts, including:

39 counts of burglary

23 counts of theft.

23 counts of possession of stolen firearms.

8 counts of obstructing justice.

5 counts of money laundering.

4 counts of possession of a stolen vehicle.

2 counts of production of cannabis.

Charges were said to stem from burglaries of homes, churches and businesses in Anna, Jonesboro, Cobden, Dongola, Ware and Wolf Lake. Charges also include the sale and possession of stolen property, including firearms, from these burglaries as well as burglaries in neighboring counties in Illinois and Missouri.

Suspects were identified as:

Brandon D. Griffin, 25, Dongola.

Nathan W. Roland, 18, Jonesboro.

Wesley A Conkle, 24, Dongola.

Austin M. Richardson, 24, Dongola.

John H. Evans, 23, Gorham.

Polly A. Quintana, 44, Dongola.

Johnny F. Smith, 24, Jonesboro.

Thomas E. Nelson, 24, Vienna.

Joshua S. Hathy, 25, Jonesboro.

Fawn E. Eddleman, 24, Anna.

Marsha K. Farthing, 22, Anna.

Damian R. Kerr, 22, Anna.

Kaleb W. Brown, 18, Cobden.

All were reported being held at the Tri-County Detention Center in Ullin with bonds ranging from $25,000 to $340,000.

Arrests were made by the Union County Sheriff's Department, ATF, Unied States Marshals Service, Alexander County Sheriff's Department, Pulaski County Sheriff's Department, Illinois State Police, Anna Police Department and Illinois Conservation Police.