Man found guilty in string of burglaries on Joliet’s East Side

December 10

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that a jury has found a Joliet man guilty of burglarizing two houses and a car on the city’s East Side in April.

Sidney D. Jones, 22, was convicted on two counts of residential burglary and one count of burglary. The jury deliberated for an hour before returning with a guilty verdict late Thursday.

Jones faces between 4 and 74 years in prison when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes on February 7. The defendant is eligible for an extended term because he was on parole for a residential burglary and a retail theft when he committed these crimes. He is being held without bond pending sentencing.

Jones entered a home in the 100 block of East Jefferson Street by climbing through a window around midnight on April 23, 2010. The owner, who was home at the time, confronted Jones and chased him from the house.

Jones attempted to escape by running down Jefferson Street. An employee working at Maneuvers Bar witnessed the defendant fleeing and called Joliet Police. When officers arrived they apprehended Jones, who was carrying with him proceeds from two other burglaries – one from a vehicle the other from a home – he had committed earlier that night. Stolen items in his possession included a DVD player, a digital camera and various tools.

“The citizens of Joliet have a right to feel secure inside their homes,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “This conviction will prevent Sidney Jones from climbing through windows and surprising unsuspecting homeowners for the foreseeable future.”

State’s Attorney Glasgow commended Assistant State’s Attorneys Chris Messina and Sondra Denmark for securing this conviction. He also thanked Joliet Police and Will County State’s Attorney’s Office Investigator Jim Stewart for conducting a thorough investigation.