The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office used its newly launched drone program to help deputies arrest two suspects during a burglary at the Viper Mine in rural Williamsville late Thursday night. Deputies were called to the site around 11 p.m. on September 18th after receiving reports of suspicious activity. The incident marked one of the first major tests for the Sheriff’s Office drone team, which was introduced earlier this month to provide new tools for law enforcement and community safety.
When deputies arrived at the mine, they deployed a drone to scan the property for possible suspects. The drone pilot quickly identified an open door and detected voices coming from inside one of the buildings. As deputies moved closer, they heard glass breaking and spotted a person fleeing through a window. Inside the building, deputies located and arrested 30-year-old Maria Genovese of Springfield. At the same time, the drone tracked a second suspect attempting to hide in a nearby tree line. Guided by the aerial footage, deputies arrested 53-year-old Daniel Gregg Jr., also of Springfield. Gregg sustained cuts to his arm while fleeing and was treated at the scene before being taken into custody.
Investigators recovered numerous burglary tools from inside the facility. A Viper Mine employee later estimated the damage to the building, which included destruction of electrical wiring and plumbing, at roughly $80,000. Both Genovese and Gregg were booked into the Sangamon County Jail on charges of burglary, criminal damage to property exceeding $10,000, and possession of burglary tools.
The Sheriff’s Office drone team, established under Sheriff Paula Crouch, began operating in early September. Four deputies have completed advanced training and are certified to use the equipment in tactical situations as well as search and rescue operations. This burglary response is the second successful operation using the drones in less than a week. On September 12th, deputies deployed the technology to help locate a missing person in a remote part of the county. The individual was found and brought to safety.
