CHESTER – Randolph County Sheriff Jarrod Peters has announced the arrest of two Lenzburg, Illinois men in connection to a criminal damage to property investigation at the Prairie State Energy’s Jordan Grove Mine Site, located near Randolph County Line Road, south of Marissa, Illinois.
On Sunday, May 7th, 2023, Sparta Police Department arrested 27-year- old Marcus Buss on a criminal damage to property warrant.
Then on May 12th, 2023, sheriff’s deputies arrested Nicholas Vogt on a criminal damage to property warrant.
This investigation began in March of 2022, when representatives of the Jordan Grove Mine reported a large amount of damage discovered at the site, including to a locomotive owned by Kaskaskia Regional Port District, along with copper wiring cut and removed from the property. The locomotive appeared to have the electric motors removed, in addition to copper wiring. The damage to the locomotive alone exceeded $100,000.
This was the second Kaskaskia Regional Port District locomotive to be damaged in 13 months. In February of 2021, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office was called to investigate a large theft resulting extensive damage to a locomotive at the Kellog Docks facility in rural Modoc, Illinois.
Investigators were able to develop potential suspects for the Kellog Docks case quickly by monitoring the sale of several unique items sold to salvage yards in the surrounding area matching items stolen from the location. This investigation eventually stalled, but the evidence became very useful during the second investigation at Jordan Grove Mine.
With the evidence collected in the previous case, and the use of DNA Analysis, Investigators were able to positively identify and obtain arrest warrants for Buss and Vogt for the damages at Jordan Grove Mine.
Buss and Vogt are both being held on $100,000 bonds at the Randolph County Jail for their involvement in the Jordan Grove Mine Case. Subsequent to this investigation, Buss is also being charged with criminal damage to property for his involvement in the Kellog Dock Case.
Sheriff Peters is urging anyone with information concerning this case or any related case to contact his Office at 618-826-5484 to speak with telecommunications or via the Randolph County Tipline at 618-826-2712.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.