Sterling man wanted in drug, weapons case now charged with fleeing police in another, earlier case

MORRISON — A Sterling man wanted since October for failing to appear in court for a weapons and drug case has now been charged with aggravated fleeing and multiple traffic violations in connection with a Sept. 5 police chase in Whiteside County.

Jordan L. Kaye, 24, was formally charged Thursday in Whiteside County Circuit Court with two counts of felony aggravated fleeing or eluding a police officer, one count each of driving while license revoked and speeding, and two counts of disobeying a traffic control device, according to a criminal complaint filed in Whiteside County. A court appearance has yet to be scheduled.

Court documents filed in the Sept. 5 case indicate that a police officer attempted to make a traffic stop on Kaye’s vehicle when Kaye, who police say was driving with a revoked license, fled in his car at speeds of at least 35 mph above the speed limit, and drove through two stops signs, one at Emerson and Galt roads and the other at Emerson Road and West Fourth Street in Sterling.

In another case, Kaye on Oct. 9 was formally charged with two counts of possessing firearm ammunition as a felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin and driving while license revoked, according to court documents. All offenses were alleged to have occurred Sept. 7.

According to court documents in that case, Count 1 alleges that Kaye possessed one round of .380-caliber ammunition, which he was not allowed to possess because he had been convicted in Whiteside County in June 2020 of possessing a firearm as a felon. Count 2 accuses him of illegally possessing the ammunition as a felon because he was convicted of a forcible felony in 2020. Court documents indicate the conviction was for one count of aggravated battery/great bodily harm.

Counts 1 and 2 are Class 2 felonies that carry potential prison sentences of three to 14 years upon conviction.

Count 3, a Class 3 felony, accuses him of unlawful possession of less than 5 grams of meth. The remaining two charges allege that he possessed less than 15 grams of a substance containing heroin and that he was driving while his license was revoked. The heroin charge carries a possible fine of up to $25,000, while the driving-while-license-revoked charge carries a potential 30-day jail sentence.

He is wanted for allegedly failing to appear for an Oct. 28 court date in that case.

Kaye has been convicted multiple times of aggravated battery and possessing drugs. Court documents indicate:

• He pleaded guilty in April 2018 to one count of aggravated domestic battery/strangulation and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and four years of probation. One count of aggravated battery to a handicapped/pregnant person and one count of domestic battery/bodily harm were dismissed. He was charged March 5, 2018, in that case.
• He pleaded guilty July 24, 2019, to possession of less than 5 grams of meth and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 30 months of probation in connection with an April 2019 arrest. He also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. A charge of aggravated fleeing was dismissed. His probation was revoked in June 2020 and he was sent to prison for three years.
• Kaye was convicted on June 24, 2020, for possession of a weapon as a felon and aggravated battery/great bodily harm for a Nov. 30, 2019, case. He was sentenced to three years in prison on each count, with the sentences to be served concurrently. An unrelated charge accusing him of criminal damage to public property, filed on May 21, 2020, was dismissed at that time.
• He pleaded guilty April 13, 2022, to possession of less than 5 grams of meth for a March 2022 arrest and was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 30 months of probation. A charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed. His probation was revoked in January 2023 and he was sentenced to four years in prison.
• A charge of felony burglary and one count of criminal trespass to a building and resisting a police officer were filed against him in October 2022. Those charges were dismissed.
• He pleaded guilty in January 2023 to one count of possession of less than 5 grams of meth in a November 2022 case and was sentenced to four years in prison. Two charges of assaulting a peace officer were dismissed as was a charge of aggravated assault/use of a deadly weapon.