MONROE - A Monroe man was arrested for cocaine possession after the State Line Area Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence on 16th Avenue Monday.
Monroe High School and Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy were put on lockdown for about 20 minutes during the search. School doors were locked and students and staff remained in classrooms while police were searching the residence, but District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner said the lockdown was a precaution and the schools were never in any immediate danger.
As a result of the search, James Leroy Cowell, 28, was arrested at 9:45 a.m. Monday, and tentatively charged with two counts of delivery of cocaine, two counts of felony delivery of a look-alike substance and four felony counts
of bail jumping. Cowell was jailed pending court.
SLANT, along with local law enforcement agencies, executed the search warrant in the 2300 block of 16th Avenue after a months-long investigation, according to Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley.
Online court records indicate Cowell was on a two-year probation for a June 26 conviction of criminal damage to property and possession of cocaine.
SLANT is a multi-agency task force comprised of agents from the Illinois State Police; Rockford, Freeport and Loves Park, Ill. police departments; Green County Sheriff's Department; and the Monroe Police Department.
- Tom Holm
Monroe High School and Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy were put on lockdown for about 20 minutes during the search. School doors were locked and students and staff remained in classrooms while police were searching the residence, but District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner said the lockdown was a precaution and the schools were never in any immediate danger.
As a result of the search, James Leroy Cowell, 28, was arrested at 9:45 a.m. Monday, and tentatively charged with two counts of delivery of cocaine, two counts of felony delivery of a look-alike substance and four felony counts
of bail jumping. Cowell was jailed pending court.
SLANT, along with local law enforcement agencies, executed the search warrant in the 2300 block of 16th Avenue after a months-long investigation, according to Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley.
Online court records indicate Cowell was on a two-year probation for a June 26 conviction of criminal damage to property and possession of cocaine.
SLANT is a multi-agency task force comprised of agents from the Illinois State Police; Rockford, Freeport and Loves Park, Ill. police departments; Green County Sheriff's Department; and the Monroe Police Department.
- Tom Holm