CENTRALIA, IL — Two Centralia men have been charged in Marion County Court with possessing stolen firearms following their arrests over the weekend by Marion County Sheriff’s deputies.

33-year-old Deandre Owens was being sought in connection with a November 8th residential burglary of a home in the 200 block of Dimick Street where a four-wheeler, firearm, and other items were reportedly taken but have since been recovered.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Friday night on Beech Street in Centralia but Owens fled on foot.  On Saturday deputies received information that Owens was staying at a home in the 1000 block of North College and they stopped a vehicle leaving the address early Saturday morning.

The driver of the vehicle, 37-year-old Joseph Bennett of South Locust was arrested for allegedly not having a valid driver’s license and on a Washington County charge of possessing a stolen firearm.

A female passenger in Bennett’s vehicle reportedly told police that Owens was still at the North College street home when they left. Deputies and Centralia police went to the home and reportedly found Owens hiding in the cabinets.

He was arrested for alleged residential burglary in Centralia, possession of a stolen weapon from Washington County, and aggravated fleeing and eluding police for the Friday traffic stop.

Owens was formally charged Monday with two counts Class 3 theft and one Class 2 count possession of a stolen firearm and his bail was set at $25,000. A preliminary hearing in his case is scheduled for January 23, 2020.

Bennett was formally charged Monday with Class 2 possession of a stolen firearm and his bail was set at $2,500. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 11.