JEFFERSON COUNTY, IL — A 31-year-old Mt. Vernon man was sentenced last week in Jefferson County Court to 15 years in prison for the 2020 stabbing of a 34-year-old Mt. Vernon man. Joshua Williams faced charges of Class X felony armed violence, two counts of Class 3 felony aggravated battery, and Class 2 felony being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Williams pleaded guilty last Wednesday to one Class 3 battery charge and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with credit for 545 days served. He also pleaded guilty to the Class 2 felony of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to a consecutive five-year sentence. The other two charges were dismissed per the plea agreement as was a charge of communicating with a witness. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Good Samaritan Hospital notified them early on January 21, 2020, of a man being brought to the ER with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident occurred in the 13,500 block of North Harmony Lane in Jefferson County. The male victim was transported to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment.

After further investigation, Williams was taken into custody in connection with the stabbing.