WAYNE COUNTY — A radioactive well logging source holder that has been missing since last fall has finally been located, just one day after federal authorities announced penalties of more than $25,000 against the company who lost the device.

The device was reported missing in October 2015, and was last seen in a vehicle owned by Wayne County Well Surveys, Inc., in Southern Illinois.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) announced Friday that the device was found by a Wayne County farmer in his field.

IEMA had announced Thursday it had issued a preliminary order to the well survey company seeking to impose penalties totaling $25,500, as well as $52,865.45 in response cost recovery for searching for the device.

The search is focused in Clay, Cumberland, Edwards, Effingham, Franklin, Hamilton, Jasper, Jefferson, Macon, Marion, Moultrie, Richland, Shelby, Wabash, Wayne and White counties in Illinois and Gibson and Pike counties in Indiana.

IEMA reports the device is in good condition, so there was no danger to the public.

It is believed the device fell out of the vehicle and into the farmer’s field, or was left at the site.