5 charged in Illinois beating

JONESBORO, Ill. -- Five Jonesboro people were charged Tuesday with conspiring to beat and rob Roy Easton, a mentally retarded 21-year-old.

One member of the group allegedly bludgeoned Easton with a two-by-four and hurled broken bottles at him in an abandoned house in Jonesboro last week while others stood by. Easton was hospitalized with a shattered orbital bone, broken nose and jaw.

He was released from the hospital Friday after undergoing surgery to implant titanium plates above and below his right eye. He is up and walking around and will have his stitches removed this week, according to his girlfriend, Tina Blair.

The Union County State's Attorney's office charged Amanda Lindsey, 26, Joshua Parker, 17, Derrick McReynolds, 20, Ashley Sullivan, 22, and Steve Smith, 20, with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. The three counts carry a maximum combined sentence of 50 years in prison.

The charges outlined a scheme hatched by the group to "roll" Easton for $500 they believed he was carrying from a federal disability check. In fact, Easton had little money at the time of the attack.

In the evening hours of May 7, one member of the group, Lindsey, allegedly met Easton and encouraged him to drink alcohol outside a local convenience store, the A-J One Stop, in Anna, the charges said.

Later, Lindsey and Smith walked Easton to an abandoned building on Heacock Street. There, they encouraged Easton to keep drinking and left him alone sitting on a couch in the living room.

The charges allege that Parker, already in the house, emerged to attack Easton with a wood board. Parker allegedly hit Easton two or three times on the head and threw beer bottles at him. No money was taken from Easton.

Lindsey and Smith walked with the battered, bleeding Easton to a crossroads where they flagged down an ambulance.

McReynolds and Sullivan were charged in the attack as conspirators.

Lindsey and Parker were also charged in an April 29 beating of a man that took place in Anna City Park. The man did not receive any major injuries.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245