On the morning of September 3, 2024, Champaign Police served search warrants at six locations as part of investigations into recent incidents of gun violence. In all, five people were arrested and eight unlawfully possessed firearms were seized in the search. The search warrants were served in the early morning hours at residences in the 500-block of Crescent Drive, the 2500-block of W. Springfield Avenue, the 1900-block of Nancy Court, the 1600- and 1700-blocks of Valley Road, and the 2000-block of Bruce Drive in Urbana.
“This joint effort represents weeks of work by investigators with the Champaign Police Department and involved more than 80 personnel from five area law enforcement agencies,” said Police Chief Timothy T. Tyler. “We are thankful to our partners for their assistance as we worked to get these deadly weapons off the streets.”
Those arrested this morning include:
- Ahmerre McClay, 18, of Champaign,
- Antoine Jones, 22, of Champaign,
- Theodis White, 48, of Champaign,
- Corey Butler, 22, of Champaign, and
- A 17-year-old juvenile subject.
Initial charges for all subjects will relate to the unlawful possession of firearms.
Even as arrests have been made, the investigation remains ongoing. Future updates may be provided as they become available. The Champaign Police Department wishes to thank the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Rantoul Police Department, University of Illinois Police Department, Urbana Police Department, and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.
Champaign Police ask that anyone who has additional information related to any incident of gun violence please call 217-351-4545. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Citizens are reminded that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers and conversations are not recorded. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.