Songer sentenced to five years

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PRINCETON — A Kewanee man has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to burglary in Tiskilwa.

Matthew L. Songer, 27, entered his guilty plea to the Class 2 felony on Oct. 1 before Circuit Judge Marc Bernabei.

In addition to the prison sentence, Songer was also ordered to pay court costs and restitution in an amount to be determined. The Oct. 1 sentence will run concurrently with an obstructing justice sentence in LaSalle County.

In May 2009, the Bureau County Sheriff’s Department received a CrimeStoppers tip stating Songer was selling stolen items at a Henry County sale barn.

Upon investigation, the sheriff’s department learned Songer was selling appliances and heating and air conditioning units at that sale barn.

The items had been taken from the former Tiskilwa High School building, owned by James Shafer of Princeton.

A warrant for Songer’s arrest was issued June 9, and he was arrested June 19 in LaSalle County.

Songer was represented at his sentencing hearing by LaSalle County public defender Timothy Cappellini.

Prosecuting the case was Bureau County State’s Attorney Patrick Herrmann.

Songer has a 2003 felony conviction in Putnam County, for which he served three years in prison and was then placed on felony probation for obstructing justice in 2006 in Henry County. He also has misdemeanor convictions for theft and obstructing a peace officer.

Co-defendants Ricky Dennison and John Reining, both of Kewanee, have entered guilty pleas in the Tiskilwa burglary case.

The case is still pending for a third defendant, Katie Lucas, also of Kewanee.

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