FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marsha L. Cascio-Hale, Jackson County State’s Attorney
Monday, February 2, 2026
BRANDON O. BROWN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS FOR AGGRAVATED BATTERY AND NARCOTIC DISTRIBUTION
Marsha L. Cascio-Hale, Jackson County State’s Attorney, announced today that Brandon O. Brown, 39, of Carbondale, Illinois, was sentenced to 26 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for two separate cases that proceeded to jury trials in September and November of 2025.
In a two-day jury trial in early September 2025, the State presented evidence that on October 20, 2024, Brown and a juvenile drove to Walmart in Carbondale. Brown stayed in the car while the juvenile went into the store. As the juvenile was leaving the store, he was stopped for suspected shoplifting by the Asset Protection Employee. The juvenile eventually got back into Brown’s vehicle. The employee took photos of the vehicle’s license plate and then walked away. Brown got out of the vehicle, followed the employee, struck him in the head, and then broke the employee’s phone. The Carbondale Police Department responded to scene and had the victim transported to the hospital for his injuries. The victim stated during his testimony that he now has memory issues after this attack.
In a four-day jury trial occurring in mid-November 2025, the State presented evidence that on the January 6, 2021, Brown sold cocaine to an individual in Carbondale. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) audio and video recorded the interaction which showed Brown selling approximately 17.7 grams of cocaine inside his home while his family was also present.
After guilty findings on both cases, a pre-sentence investigation report was compiled by the Jackson County Probation Office. On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, arguments were made to the Court as to the defendant’s sentence. The Court ultimately sentenced Brown to 22 years on the 2021 Unlawful Delivery of Cocaine case and 4 years on the 2025 Aggravated Battery case. The Court, in its discretion, after listening to arguments of counsel, ordered the sentences to run consecutively, putting the total sentence at 26 years for Brown in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Jackson County Assistant State’s Attorney Sophia Allen led the prosecution and emphasized that the Aggravated Battery in Carbondale was an unnecessary and violent attack on an individual who was just trying to do his job, and that the Unlawful Delivery of Cocaine inherently exploits the illness of substance abuse and is something we should not condone in our society. State’s Attorney Marsha Cascio-Hale added, “I want to thank the brave citizens who stepped in at Walmart to assist the asset protection employee after he was punched and injured. Their quick action, along with the thorough work of our investigators, first responders, and law enforcement partners, was critical to bringing both the aggravated battery and the drug cases to just and fair resolutions. Community cooperation and professional police work together ensure public safety and accountability. Assistant State’s Attorney Allen’s prosecution ensured that the evidence was presented to members of our community in a clear and concise manner to reach the proper outcome. Our office remains committed to the prosecution of crime fairly, and we deeply appreciate the partnership of our residents and law enforcement in keeping our community safe.”
Allen commended the extensive investigation by the law enforcement agencies, Carbondale Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the dedication of the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance throughout the prosecution of this case.
A prosecutor has the responsibility of a minister of justice and not simply that of an advocate. This responsibility carries with it specific obligations to see that the defendant is accorded procedural justice, and that guilt is decided upon the basis of sufficient evidence. Except for statements that are necessary to inform the public of the nature and extent of the prosecutor’s action and that serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose, by Supreme Court Rule, the State’s Attorney is not allowed to make statements about pending cases or investigations which would pose a serious and imminent threat to the fairness of the proceeding. Rule 3.8 Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor. For a list of certain subjects which have been determined to pose such a threat to the fairness of the proceedings and for a list of subjects which do not, please see Rule 3.6 Trial Publicity. For any press release involving a case which has not yet been tried, please note that: a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of the jury.