Traffic Stop Yields Pot in Ill. Fire Chief`s Vehicle

Oct. 20--ALORTON -- The village's volunteer fire chief allegedly had a felony amount of marijuana when police made a traffic stop late Friday night.

Carlos Darough, 36, who has been a member of the Alorton Fire Department since he was 14, was charged Saturday by St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly with official misconduct and possession with intent to deliver a felony amount of marijuana.

St. Clair County Judge Ellen Dauber set bail for Darough at $15,000. He was being held in the county jail Saturday.

Earlier this month, Darough attempted to save a 1-year-old boy who was crushed by a television set as he sat in a booster seat in the back of his mother's vehicle.

Alorton Mayor Joann Reed called Darough's arrest unfortunate.

"It's heartbreaking and disturbing. Carlos' actions will impact the village of Alorton, his family and friends," Reed said.

She said Darough started with the fire department as a junior firefighter.

Darough was in Belleville driving toward his home when he was arrested, she said.

Reed said the vehicle Darough was driving was a village-issued vehicle and it was towed by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, the arresting agency.

Other Alorton officials have recently been charged with crimes, including Reed:

-- Reed is accused of sneaking a cellphone into the Alorton village jail on Feb. 3 and giving it to her niece. Reed was charged with two counts of official misconduct and two counts of bringing contraband into a penal institution. She was village clerk at the time she was charged.

-- Former Alorton Mayor Randy McCallum was sentenced last year to serve 43 months in prison on federal corruption charges. He pleaded guilty to stealing $1,000 from the village and trying to deal crack cocaine.

-- Former Alorton Police Chief Michael Baxton pleaded guilty last year to taking four Xbox 360 game consoles put in a car by federal agents in a sting operation. He also pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents about the thefts when they confronted him. He received a one-year sentence.

Contact reporter Carolyn P. Smith at 618-239-2503.

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