Monroe County Authorities Charge Man After Fierce Barricade Incident

Monroe County Authorities Charge Man After Fierce Barricade Incident

COLUMBIA, IL. — Jared M. Franke, 26, of Columbia, was charged Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, following a standoff with law enforcement after allegedly stealing a firearm from his family’s home early Wednesday morning. At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 27, 2025, deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a stolen firearm on the 1800 block of Meadow Court. Investigators learned that Franke had taken the weapon and le…