By BRANDON COUTRE – bcoutre@nwherald.com WOODSTOCK – Kathleen Caldwell thought that she had found an easy way out when her personal finances got shaky after her two children started college. Caldwell, who is a bookkeeper at her uncle’s Spring Grove heating and cooling business, started writing checks to herself that had totaled about $767,000 over … Continued

Steven A. Harvey, 50, pleaded guilty to home invasion and was sentenced to eight years in prison for breaking into the home of a 50-year-old Johnsburg woman in September 2001, when police say he fondled the woman and tried to kiss her. “The defendant has pleaded guilty and is being held accountable for his actions,” … Continued

By ROB PHILLIPS WOODSTOCK – Damen Jones agreed to drive his cousin and $16,600 worth of crack cocaine to McHenry County last year for $100 because he needed money for his mother’s Christmas gift, Jones’ attorney and prosecutors said Wednesday. Jones, 22, of North Chicago, pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony drug-possession charges and was sentenced … Continued

By ROB PHILLIPS  rphillips@nwherald.com WOODSTOCK A 55-year-old Wonder Lake man pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing a teenage boy and was sentenced to 41/2 years in prison. Wayne Gibbons, of 9010 Evergreen, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Prosecutors said that Gibbons performed a sexual act on a 13-year-old acquaintance on … Continued

Crystal Lake neighbors face lawsuits for pre-existing building additions By Nate Legue Crystal Lake – Every Wednesday, people from Saralyn and Jeff Temple’s Church congregate in the couple’s three-season porch to study the Bible. But the group might have to find somewhere else to meet because the porch was added without proper building permits before … Continued

By KRISTEN TURNER WOODSTOCK – Richmond police Officer Brian Quilici’s drunken-driving charge was dropped swiftly because the ticket written against him was improper, lawyers for Quilici and Richmond said Tuesday. Lawyer George Kililis, who represents Quilici, said the officer is honorable and the notion that the ticket was “swept under the rug” is false. “He … Continued

By KRISTEN TURNER WOODSTOCK – The village of Richmond has dropped a drunken-driving charge against one of its police officers only four days after he was pulled over. Brian L. Quilici, 32, of Richmond, is back at work, Richmond Police Chief Roger Szewczyk said. Quilici was pulled over by fellow Officer William Fedderly at 3:30 … Continued

By Kevin Lyons WOODSTOCK – Prosecutors and police said they hope that a Harvard teenager’s conviction for harboring a runaway will help them find a missing 16-year-old girl. Amelia Merida, of Harvard, has been missing for more than a year. Harvard police believe that she may still be somewhere in the area or could have … Continued