EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Friday that his office has filed felony charges of identity theft against a man accused of living under a stolen identity after being charged in 1994 with attempted murder. Robert D. Mason III, 53, who now resides in Kalamazoo, Mich., but previously resided in Madison County, was charged Friday with one count of identity theft, a class 1 felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The charge alleges that Mason knowingly used the personal identifying information of another person to obtain credit and property under the victim’s name, with the value of the credit and property being between $10,000 and $100,000. In 1994, Mason was charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of home invasion, both Class X felonies punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
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The 1994 charges, filed by then State’s Attorney William R. Haine, allege that Mason shot a man four times with intent to kill the victim and used force to enter the home of an Alton woman while armed with a weapon, both on May 15, 1994.
The identity theft case was investigated by Alton Police after an Alton resident made a report that someone had used his identity in a financial transaction. The investigation resulted in Mason being identified as a suspect. Alton Police, along with U.S. Marshals Service, recently took Mason into custody in Kalamazoo. After the 1994 charges were filed, Mason could not be located. Those charges have remained in pending status since 1994.
“I commend Alton Police for their diligent investigation and their commitment to pursuing justice, no matter how long it takes,” Haine said. Mason remained in the Madison County Jail as of Friday afternoon, pending a hearing on a Detention Petition filed by Haine. The petition asks that Mason be detained while awaiting trial. “Our Petition for Pretrial Detention argues the obvious – that the defendant has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution,” Haine said.
Mason remained in the Madison County Jail as of Friday afternoon, pending a hearing on a Detention Petition filed by Haine. The petition asks that Mason be detained while awaiting trial.
“Our Petition for Pretrial Detention argues the obvious – that the defendant has a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution,” Haine said.
Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said: “I’m extremely proud of the Alton Police Department investigators who diligently pursued this 30-year-old case. Specifically, Detective Sgt. Jim Siatos and Detective John Wimmersberg were both instrumental in the investigation and arrest of Mason in Michigan. They used their investigative skill combined with technology and great partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to ensure justice is served 30 years later.”
Ford and Haine thanked agencies that assisted Alton Police in the investigation, including U.S. Marshals Service-Southern District of Illinois/East St. Louis, the U.S. Marshals Service-Western District of Michigan/Kalamazoo, East Alton Police Department, Kalamazoo (Mich.) Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Michigan Secretary of State Police, and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services. This charge and the statements made herein are based upon probable cause.
The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty
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