A Jacksonville man involved in several violent incidents dating back to 2023 is heading to prison while he awaits a disposition on another case.
40-year old Mario T. Jackson of the 1100 block of North Diamond pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance on Tuesday in Morgan County Circuit Court.
Jackson was arrested in the evening hours of November 13, 2023 at his residence by Jacksonville Police, after officers responded to a man who had threatened a woman and her children with a machete and taken her vehicle. The victim told police that he had taken her car keys and drove off in the vehicle still armed. Officers later located the suspect, identified as Jackson, and the complainant’s vehicle. Jackson told officers he would put the machete away. During the course of an investigation, officers are said to have located Tramadol, a controlled substance, and a pipe described to be used for smoking narcotics. Officers described that Jackson was under the influence of narcotics at the time of his arrests.
Jackson was later released and re-arrested on December 8, 2023 for home invasion, violation of an order of protection, aggravated domestic battery, theft over $500, and interference with a report of domestic violence.
Jackson was arrested again on January 23, 2024 by Jacksonville Police for domestic battery after he allegedly attacked a woman with a hammer at his residence. Jackson was sentenced in March for this arrest to 2 years of adult probation.
Jackson was arrested for a third time for domestic battery and aggravated assault by Jacksonville Police on June 8, 2024 for once again putting a machete through a door and then kicking down a door to a residence in the 1100 block of North Diamond. A 9-1-1 caller said that the man, later identified as Jackson, then held up a woman at the residence with the machete, before striking her with an open hand and then leaving the residence on foot.
Jackson was arrested for the final time by Jacksonville Police on August 3, 2024 after choking a woman to the point of her losing consciousness in the 1100 block of North Diamond. Jackson was cited for aggravated domestic battery and has remained held at the Morgan County Jail after the State’s Attorney’s Office filed a motion to deny pretrial release.
During the sentencing yesterday in Morgan County Court, it was noted that Jackson had a lengthy criminal history with intermittent stays in the Illinois Department of Corrections as well as prison time while a juvenile.
Jackson was sentenced on the controlled substance felony on Tuesday to 2 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and 6 months of mandatory supervised release. He was given credit for 159 days served. A status hearing on the August 3rd domestic battery case was set for February 18th. With the class 2 felony still pending, Jackson could face an additional 3 to 7 years in prison.