Concert promoter now a fugitive: arrest warrant and $100,000 bond on Alex Flores

He was born Alejandro Flores.

Today, he's fugitive Alex Flores, the Wild Country Entertainment promoter who in October 2012 brought the nation's greatest country stars--Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Trace Adkins to the stage at the World Shooting Complex on a cold, rain-soaked weekend but left all of Southern Illinois holding the bag.

After failing to show up for a Randolph County court appearance in November 2015, an arrest warrant has been issued for him and his bond has been set at $100,000.

"He's a fugitive. His case is pending and his whereabouts are undetermined," said Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker on Tuesday..

"We now have three charges of theft by deception," said Walker, "a charge of deceptive practices for the $8,915 check he wrote to Shawnee Services and a Class I felony theft charge against him for money he took from the City of Sparta."

Sparta filed a lawsuit to recover a $50,000 loan it made Flores for the Charlie Daniels Band concert and Fourth of July rodeo in 2014.

That note was due as of December 31, 2014. Sparta city attorney Alan Farris drafted the lawsuit.

There were misdemeanor charges against Flores for failing to pay Butcher's Block Catering for catered meals on June 20, 2014, $5,849 for catered meals on June 21 and $356 for catered meals June 19 prior to a concert series the Sparta Shooting Complex.

Flores, who married and moved from California to Ava, Ill., his wife's home, four years ago also faced several civil actions.

The City of Belleville is also trying to recover $101,000 from Flores from its 2014 bicentennial celebration.

At the beginning of the paper trail is $65,000 loaned to Flores by a backer named Arlen Thies of Campbell Hill for a loan in December 2011, which was seed money for the 2012 concert weekend at the World Shooting Complex. Thies first loaned Flores $55,000, then gave him another $15,000 in cash. Flores repaid a small amount of the money. Says Walker, "Even if he had good intentions, the hole just got deeper."