Lee County deputies arrest 2 in residential burglary case

DIXON – Two Monmouth men have been charged in Lee County with felony burglary and theft in connection with a break-in at a rural Dixon residence.

Michael E. Miller, 42, and Julian J. Belmonte, 30, were formally charged Thursday in Lee County Circuit Court. Miller’s and Belmonte’s preliminary hearings are both at 8:30 a.m. July 24 at the Lee County Courthouse.

Lee County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched Wednesday night to the area of Route 30 and Walton Road in rural Dixon for a burglary in progress, according to a news release issued Friday by Lee County Sheriff Clay Whelan.

According to the release, two people wearing masks were observed running from a residence and into a black GMC Sierra pickup. The vehicle then left the residence and was seen traveling north toward Dixon.

A witness observed a passenger exit the vehicle on Pump Factory Road just south of Dixon. Dixon police officers were in the area and found the black GMC Sierra, according to the release. A traffic stop was conducted near Rock Island and Atkinson roads, and the driver, identified as Miller, was detained. A short time later, Lee County deputies found a person walking west on Interstate 88 just outside Dixon who matched the description of the passenger. Deputies arrested the two men, according to the release.

Miller was charged with residential burglary, a Class 1 felony; theft, a Class 3 felony; driving on a suspended license, a misdemeanor; criminal trespass to real property, a misdemeanor; and operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration.

Miller is currently on felony probation in Whiteside County. He was charged there Jan. 10 with felony burglary and retail theft greater than $300, also a felony. Miller pleaded guilty to felony retail theft June 12 and was placed on 24 months of probation. The burglary charge was dismissed.

Belmonte was charged with felony residential burglary, felony theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass to real property in the Lee County case, according to the release.

Belmonte is currently on pretrial release with conditions out of Warren County on seven counts of possessing images of child sexual abuse, a Class 3 felony, according to court records. Those charges were filed Feb. 16 in Warren County, and his next hearing is set for July 17.

Additionally, Belmonte was charged with misdemeanor retail theft Feb. 15 in Whiteside County. His next court hearing on that case is at 9 a.m. Aug. 7 in Whiteside County Circuit Court.

In accordance with provisions of the Illinois SAFE-T Act, Miller and Belmonte again were released on pretrial conditions, Whelan said.