Press Releases
FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH IN RURAL MANITO, IL
Date: February 25, 2026
Tazewell County, IL – On February 24, 2026, at approximately 9:35 PM, deputies were dispatched to investigate a reported traffic crash in the area of Bluff Road in rural Manito, IL. Upon arrival, deputies found a single vehicle that was fully engulfed in flames along Bluff Road, approximately 1/10 of a mile south of Sky Ranch Road. The Foreman Fire Department responded to the scene and extinguished the fire.
Investigators have determined that the vehicle was occupied by a deceased, unidentified individual. Due to the extent of the fire, the occupant’s identity has not yet been confirmed.
The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office and the Tazewell County Coroner’s Office are conducting an ongoing investigation into the traffic crash.
ARREST MADE FOLLOWING CHILD EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATION
Date: February 26, 2026
Tazewell County, IL – The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office arrested Wesley D. Ratliff, 35, of Marquette Heights, Illinois, for multiple felony offenses related to the possession and dissemination of child sexual abuse material, as well as additional charges involving the solicitation and exploitation of a minor.
Ratliff was taken into custody on February 26, 2026, and transported to the Tazewell County Jail for processing.
The investigation was conducted by the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, which participates in the Illinois Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting children and pursuing those who exploit minors.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.