Burglar gets sentenced to 12 years
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CASEY SOBBERI
By BETH ZUMWALT
A Wilsonville man has been sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections following his arrest and conviction stemming from a burglary at the Jiffi Stop convenience store in Pleasant Hill and a tavern and flower shop in Calhoun County.
As a result of a multi-county investigation, Casey W. Sobberi, 40, of Wilsonville was taken into custody in connection with the burglaries. At the time of the offenses, Sobberi was on mandatory supervised release from the Illinois Department of Corrections. Due to Illinois Department of Corrections policy and procedural limitations, IDOC did not assist in the apprehension or detention of Sobberi.
The incident started June 9, 2025, at approximately 3:55 a.m., the Pike County Sheriff’s Department responded to an alarm activation at the Jiffi Stop convenience store in Pleasant Hill, Pike County, Illinois. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the glass entry door had been shattered and that an unknown suspect had unlawfully entered the business, stealing an undisclosed amount of merchandise.
Chief Deputy Zack Orr and Sergeant Matt Frazier immediately initiated a criminal investigation.
Investigators reviewed extensive hours of surveillance footage, while Chief Deputy Orr coordinated with surrounding law enforcement agencies to identify connections between the incidents.
Through inter-agency cooperation, it was determined that the two additional businesses in Calhoun County had been burglarized. Further investigation revealed that the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office had recovered evidence connected to the burglaries at a location in Jersey County, Illinois.
Multiple court-authorized search warrants were obtained to examine electronic devices and other evidence related to the investigation. A significant breakthrough came through the investigative efforts of Detective Sally Arbuthnot and Megan Ayres of the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office. With assistance from the Gillespie Police Department, Chief Deputy Orr identified the individual operating the suspect vehicle involved in the burglaries.
June 12, Chief Deputy Orr obtained a court-authorized search warrant for a residence in Wilsonville in Macoupin County, with assistance from Lieutenant Ryan Dixon of the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department.
At approximately 3:32 p.m., officers from the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, and Pike County Sheriff’s Department executed the search warrant. During the search, officers recovered property stolen during the burglaries.
Jan. 20, Sobberi appeared before Judge J. Frank McCartney, where he pleaded guilty to burglary, felony theft, criminal damage to property valued between $500 and $10,000, and possession of burglary tools. Sobberi was sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Sobberi is scheduled to appear for a plea hearing Feb.17, 2026, in Calhoun County, Illinois, where he faces two counts of burglary, two counts of felony theft, and two counts of criminal damage to property. Additionally, while on pretrial release, Sobberi committed further burglaries in Macoupin County and Madison County, Illinois.
“This case reflects the level of commitment our investigators bring to every serious crime,” said Orr. “Through persistence, detailed investigative work, and cooperation with our partner agencies, we were able to hold this offender accountable.”