HARDIN MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR BURGLARY AND THEFT

HARDIN, IL — A Hardin man has been sentenced to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after a Calhoun County jury convicted him of burglary and theft in connection with tools stolen from a work truck.

Donald G. Dawson, 57, was found guilty July 15 following a two-day jury trial before Judge John Frank McCartney. Calhoun County State’s Attorney Lucas Fanning prosecuted the case.

The investigation dates back to July 10, 2025, when the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary from a motor vehicle at the Godar Diamond boat ramp. Authorities said a large quantity of tools had been stolen from a work truck parked there.

The case remained under investigation until April 8 of this year, when the sheriff’s office received information concerning the possible location of the stolen tools.

Four days later, Calhoun County authorities joined law enforcement agencies in Greene County to execute a court-authorized search warrant at a residence in Eldred. According to the sheriff’s office, the search resulted in the recovery of the stolen tools and Dawson’s arrest.

Dawson was subsequently charged by the Calhoun County State’s Attorney’s Office with burglary and theft, leading to his July conviction.

On August 5, Judge McCartney sentenced Dawson to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with credit for 101 days already served in pretrial detention.

The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, White Hall, Roodhouse and Carrollton police departments, Illinois Conservation Police, and the state’s attorney’s offices in Greene and Calhoun counties for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution.