Police

Daniel Furlong, the one-time Constantine resident accused of killing 11-year-old Jodi Parrack in 2007, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The development took place Thursday before circuit court Judge Paul Stutesman. In exchange for his plea, the 65-year-old Furlong will not be charged with other crimes in the Parrack case or offenses related to a July incident in White Pigeon …

A Three Rivers man was sentenced to at least 14 years in prison for sexually assaulting children in a daycare at his girlfriend’s residence in Three Rivers. Cary Jones, 47, was found guilty last month of six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of accosting children for immoral purposes. Investigators began looking into the case in January …

No children were injured after a school bus was rear-ended Thursday morning in Sherman Township. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 6:50 a.m. to the intersection of M-66 and Wait Road, where a Sturgis Public Schools bus was struck from behind by a pickup. The pickup was driven by a 53-year-old East Leroy man, according to deputies. A department media release …

State police were called last week to a Branch County business in response to an armed robbery. According to a department media release, a man described as a skinny white male entered A.J. Butler’s General Store on Clarendon Road in Butler Township around 6:45 p.m. Friday. The man, wearing sunglasses and a bandana over a portion of his face, displayed …

A White Pigeon High School student has been arrested on a terrorism charge after allegedly making threats last week at school. Phillip Duane Stephenson, 18, is accused of making what school officials call threats to building safety. Stephenson has been suspended indefinitely, officials said. White Pigeon Superintendent Jon Keyer said he and school administrators determined valid statements were made and …

A federal agency and a firearms trade association are offering a reward of up to $4,000 for information leading to the prosecution of the party responsible for the theft of 21 guns last week from a Sturgis business. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is teaming with the National Shooting Sports Foundation to offer the reward. It is …

The man accused of murdering 11-year-old Jodi Parrack eight years ago has waived his right to a preliminary examination. The matter involving suspect Daniel Furlong occurred during a judicial proceeding Thursday before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton. Furlong, 65, will stand trial for the murder, Middleton ruled. Furlong faces charges of open murder, felony murder, kidnapping and second-degree criminal sexual …

The St. Joseph County Child Trauma Assessment Group was provided $50,000 to help it meet a projected budget shortfall. The request was pitched last week to members of the county board of commissioners by Probate Court Judge David Tomlinson and probate court director Thomas Robertson. Tomlinson said the state might refund St. Joseph County half of the $50,000, but the …

A Jackson-based company was selected last week to replace the existing wireless connection at the county’s Animal Control facility. County commission members have accepted a $6,100 bid from Challenger Technologies LLC to install fiber-optic cable from Animal Control to the sheriff’s department. Teresa Doehring, county human resources director, said the replacement will significantly improve the quality and reliability of data …

A clerk at the Admiral gas station at 1207 E. Chicago Road in Sturgis was robbed early Monday. Sturgis police were informed that a man had robbed the station at gunpoint shortly after midnight, taking an undisclosed amount of money. No additional details are available, as police are working with store officials to investigate the incident.