A Macon County man will spend the next decade behind bars after pleading guilty to a domestic violence charge in Cass County Court this morning.
26-year old Bruce L. Freeman III of Decatur pleaded guilty to Class 2 felony Aggravated Domestic Battery in front of Cass County Circuit Judge Timothy J. Wessel this morning. Charges of domestic battery with a prior conviction and resisting and/or obstructing a peace officer, both Class 4 felonies, were dropped per the plea.
According to a press release from Cass County State’s Attorney Craig Miller, on February 24th, Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn and Deputy Sheriff Jim Birdsell responded to a call to a residence in Virginia, Illinois after a reported domestic disturbance. Through their investigation, Miller says the officers learned that around midnight on February 24th, Freeman accused the victim, his girlfriend at the time, of having a sexual relationship with his father. The press release says that Freeman then began strangling the victim, throwing her to the ground, and for the next approximately 6 hours kicked her in the back and beat her repeatedly while she was on the ground all whilst wielding a bread knife.
Miller says that Freeman was previously convicted of aggravated domestic battery in Macon County in 2021 and received 2 years of adult probation in that case.
Cass County State’s Attorney Craig Miller commended the victim and law enforcement for their cooperation in the case: “Domestic violence is an evil that devastates communities and families. If you or someone you know is affected by an abusive relationship, please remember that there are networks of people available to help. Taking the first, courageous step forward by reporting abuse and seeking help makes the prosecution of abusers like this defendant possible. The survivor of this defendant’s abuse took a courageous step to be brave and continue to move forward with the case. Her strength allowed this defendant and domestic abuser to be held accountable and relocated to the Illinois Department of Corrections. My thanks to the Cass County Sheriff and his office for its thorough investigation.”
Freeman was sentenced this morning to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections followed by 2 years of mandatory supervised release. According to Illinois’ truth in sentencing, Freeman must served at least 85% of the sentence. Freeman was given credit for 150 days served at the Morgan County Jail.