(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. – More than four years after the Kenosha riots of 2020, a 34-year-old man from Illinois made his first court appearance Thursday for a series of alleged crimes committed during the riots, after spending years in federal custody.
(Kenosha County Sheriff
Erik C. Thomas is charged with felony burglary, conspiracy to commit misdemeanor theft, criminal damage to an ATM, and disorderly conduct—all as a party to a crime and as a repeat offender. The charges stem from an August 24, 2020 break-in at the PLS Check Cashing store on 60th Street and 22nd Avenue, where rioters allegedly smashed windows and tried to steal an ATM using a black Volkswagen sedan.
Kenosha police detectives said the ATM was found outside the store with damage and blood on it. Investigators later matched DNA from two of the blood swabs to Thomas using a federal DNA profile on file with the FBI’s Springfield, Illinois office.
Deputy District Attorney Drew Burgoyne, speaking in court Thursday, highlighted the context of the crime: “That was a time when there was a great amount of unrest in this community. A number of people were causing damage and doing things to destroy this community. This defendant is charged with being one of those individuals.”
Burgoyne said Thomas has a lengthy felony record in Kankakee, Illinois, including cases for stolen vehicles, theft, unlawful possession of a credit card, and a 2012 conviction for possessing a stolen firearm, for which he served prison time. Thomas has no known ties to Wisconsin outside of the riot activity, according to prosecutors.
The complaint also notes that several milk jugs filled with gasoline were found near the scene, and surveillance efforts were underway to identify looters and arsonists at the time. Racine Police SWAT officers intervened when suspects were seen loading the ATM into a car with Illinois plates registered to Thomas. The vehicle was disabled at the scene and later towed.
Assistant District Attorney Burgoyne requested a $250,000 cash bail, but Court Commissioner William Michel II set bail at $50,000 cash. The court also ordered no contact with the PLS Financial location.
The case was originally filed on September 9, 2021, but Thomas did not appear in court until now due to his incarceration in federal prison. A warrant had remained active since charges were filed. His preliminary hearing is expected to be scheduled soon.
If convicted on all counts with repeater penalties, Thomas faces over 24 years in prison.
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13 Responses
Wait. Didn’t Gravely, McNeil and the idiot kneeling Sheriff Beth give blanket immunity to anyone black for anything done during the pre Kyle setting everyone straight?
Yes, they did.
They sure did. Kenosha detectives extradited the arsonists (from Minneapolis)who lit the probation office on fire . They were booked into Kenosha jail, and gravely ordered them released with no charge.. perhaps we all just
“Dont understand the culture”.
You mean that black culture?
And they still think they’re fighting for their rights
Impossible. The left said it was all whites from Kenosha that did all the damage and looting
Yup ,but some had really good tans.
Erik didndonuffin!
That was a reparations loan.
Y’all rascist!
No doubt Tony douchebag Evers will pardon this scum.
And the stupid majority of Wisconsinites voted for him again. Of course, they didn’t have to see our city, the houses of our friends and neighbors in flames
Thank God we have a new prosecutor in town who, instead of giving these people forfeitures, will seek incarceration. Personally, I would charge them with domestic terrorism, or pursue the most severe legal penalties available. Otherwise, the old noose would definitely do it 🙂
O WOW
Menace to society, send him back to prison!