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Mother, son sex offenders charged with moving too close to daycare

St. Charles police have arrested a mother and her 24-year-old son and charged them with violating the Child Sex Offender Registration Act, after they moved into a residence less than 500 feet from a day care center, police said Friday.

Wilma D. Mannella, 53, and Joshua J. Mannella, both of the 1600 block of Covington Court, face up to three years in prison for the felony of unlawful residency of a child sex offender.

St. Charles police said the defendants, both registered child sex offenders, told Geneva Police they would be moving to St. Charles.

After they moved Tuesday they went to the St. Charles Police Department to register.

Two days later, a St. Charles detective used the city’s mapping system to determine that the house was only 383.6 feet away from a KinderCare.

Wilma Mannella was arrested Thursday. Her bail was set at $10,000 Friday and she is due in court Aug. 5.

Joshua Mannella turned himself in Friday and his bond will be set Saturday, police said.

Both Mannellas were convicted of a November 2006 incident in which three people showed up about 4 a.m. at their home west of Route 25 intending to buy marijuana using counterfeit cash.

But when the Mannellas realized the money was bogus, the buyers were beaten, pepper sprayed and robbed of their wallets and cellphones at gunpoint, police said.

Wilma Mannella