Bettendorf residents face trafficking stolen weapons, other charges

Linda Cook
·2 min read
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Bettendorf residents face trafficking stolen weapons, other charges

Two Bettendorf residents were in custody Sunday to face charges including trafficking stolen weapons after an incident in Bettendorf on Saturday, according to court records.

Deondre Morgan, 36, faces felony charges of trafficking stolen weapons – first offense and dominion/control of firearm/offensive weapon by a felon, and a serious misdemeanor charge of eluding, court records show.

Deondre Morgan (L) and Daiaja Wickliffe (Scott County Jail)
Deondre Morgan (L) and Daiaja Wickliffe (Scott County Jail)

Daiaja Wickliffe, 22, faces a felony charge of trafficking stolen weapons – first offense and a serious misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree theft, court records show.

About 3 p.m. Saturday, Morgan was driving a Kia Optima that police allege made an improper turn from the eastbound lanes of Middle Road onto the I-74 East on-ramp. Police say he did not use the correct turn lane, and officers made a traffic stop in a fully marked patrol vehicle, according to arrest affidavits.

Police saw a yellow bag on the rear passenger seat. “This baggie appeared to be consistent with that of which I know to contain marijuana,” an officer wrote in arrest affidavits. Inside were flakes of raw marijuana.

Morgan put the car in drive and began to elude law enforcement, police allege in affidavits, and a pursuit began.

The Kia was observed failing to maintain control as it turned from the I-74 East off-ramp onto Grant Street. Morgan took off on foot and was arrested shortly afterward, affidavits show.

Wickliffe, who was in the front passenger seat. was seen standing outside of the vehicle as officers arrived, police say in affidavits. A K9 alerted to the car, where officers say they found a loaded Ruger handgun between the front passenger seat and the door.

Affidavits say the gun was found to be stolen out of Shelbyville, Kentucky. Wickliffe said the gun was hers and described the weapon in detail to officers.

Also located on the front passenger side was marijuana-related drug paraphernalia and a bag with marijuana residue inside of it, according to affidavits.

Morgan was being held on $11,000 bond in Scott County Jail, where Wickliffe was being held on $6,000 bond. Both are set for preliminary hearings April 23 in Scott County Court.

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