Morgan County Crimestoppers Seeks Two Suspects, Including Man Wanted on Battery Charges

James Havens, 40, of Jacksonville is wanted on six criminal counts including aggravated battery and resisting police, Morgan County Crimestoppers announced March 27 in its weekly most-wanted release, which also named a rural Waverly resident as a second priority for the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.

Havens stands approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs around 145 pounds, and has long black hair and brown eyes. The full list of charges against him includes theft, retail theft, criminal damage to property and criminal trespass in addition to the battery and resisting counts. The presence of aggravated battery alongside a resisting charge places Havens among the higher-risk warrant cases the organization flags for the public.

The Havens name has appeared in prior weekly releases. A 48-year-old Joshua Havens, last known at 1030 Sheridan in Jacksonville, was previously listed as wanted for theft. A separate listing named a 47-year-old Joshua Havens sought for failure to appear on theft charges. The repeated appearances of the surname underscore how the weekly releases often track warrant cases that carry over from one cycle to the next.

Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott and Cass Counties has operated since 1985, accumulating a record that carries weight in a county with limited law enforcement resources. The organization has received nearly 6,000 tips since its founding, contributing to 849 solved cases, 2,322 arrests and the recovery of nearly $969,000 in stolen or seized property. Those numbers matter in a county where the Sheriff's Office fields just 14 sworn deputies to cover roughly 36,000 residents across 572 square miles. The Morgan County Jail holds only 65 beds, adding institutional urgency to clearing outstanding warrants before they compound.

Anyone with information on Havens or the Waverly suspect is asked not to approach either individual directly. Anonymous tips can be called in to 217-243-7300, texted to 274637 with "payout" as the first word, or submitted through the Crime Stoppers website and the organization's Facebook and Instagram pages. Coordinator Loren Hamilton oversees the tipline. Verified tips that lead to an arrest qualify for a cash reward of up to $1,000; callers are never required to give their names.