Marlin Clark, Carbondale, and Britni Dowdy, Murphysboro, Sentenced to Department of Corrections for Armed Robbery

MURPHYSBORO — Joseph A. Cervantez, Jackson County State’s Attorney, announced today that on March 22, 2022, Marlin D. Clark, Jr., 19, of Carbondale, Illinois, and Britni J. Dowdy, 21, of Murphysboro, Illinois, each received sentences of sixteen and one-half (16.5) years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on a charge of Armed Robbery, a Class X Felony offense, for their roles and co-conspirators in an August 1, 2021, incident.

The charges against Clark and Dowdy arose after officers of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department received a report from a twenty-three (23) year-old Hammond, Indiana, man that he had been robbed in an isolated area off of Gold Drive in Carbondale. The victim told police that Dowdy had been communicating with him through the Tinder app and that Dowdy had convinced him to drive her and a friend around Carbondale. At some point in the night, Dowdy allowed Clark and another man into the backseat of the victim’s vehicle. Clark then directed the victim to drive to an isolated area off of Gold Drive in Carbondale where Dowdy and Clark, working together with a third individual, robbed the victim, taking approximately $200.00 in U.S. currency and the key fob to the victim’s vehicle. While the perpetrators were arguing about stealing the victim’s vehicle, the victim sped off, leaving Clark, Dowdy, and the other perpetrator behind.

On October 15, 2021, Clark and Dowdy entered open pleas of guilty to Armed Robbery. On March 22, 2022, the Jackson County Court sentenced Cark to 16.5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after a contested sentencing hearing. Upon learning of Clark’s sentence, Dowdy and the People agreed that Dowdy should be sentenced to the same term of 16.5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for her role in the August 1, 2021, offense.

The investigation of Clark and Dowdy’s case was conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant State’s Attorney Jayson Clark was responsible for the successful prosecution of Clark and Dowdy.