PAXTON-A violent crime spree in January of 2010 spread from Georgia all the way to central Illinois. Even though it's been nearly two years and police have their suspect, he has yet to be prosecuted.
Police in Paxton, Mattoon, and Monticello say Charles Anthony James is responsible for violent crimes. He was mistakenly let out of a Georgia prison just before coming here.
Kathy's Salon and Tanning in Paxton is not where you'd expect a robbery and sexual assault at knife point to happen in the middle of a January day.
But it wasn't until months later when a DNA hit from the scene led police to Charles Anthony James, already sitting in a Georgia prison cell.
It turns out, James was never supposed to be in Illinois. He mistakenly got let out of a Georgia prison. After finishing his sentence for robbery, he was supposed to get transferred to the Richmond county jail to await trial on charges of kidnapping and sodomy. But he never got transferred because of a paperwork mistake.
A Georgia Department of Corrections spokesperson says ,"Richmond county had not filed a detainer or given notification to hold Mr. James, so he was released when his sentence expired."
Mistakenly released, and police say...committed crimes all the way from Georgia to central Illinois.
But until a trial in Ford County happens, it's unlikely there will be justice for the crime at Kathy's salon.
Ford County State's Attorney Mark Fitton says for trial, James would have to come back to Central Illinois. And because he's serving more than five consecutive life sentences for raping and kidnapping women in Georgia, it could be some time, before he gets tried here.
