Four men sentenced to 130 combined years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for roles in 2017 Lincoln shooting.

On October 1, 2017, the Lincoln Police Department and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for gunshots fired in the 700 block of South Walnut Street in Lincoln, Illinois. Based on the investigation, a Logan County Grand Jury indicted Gerald Thomas Jr. (d.o.b. 5-16-91), Jeremiah Friend (d.o.b. 9-19-99), Casey J. Cottrill (d.o.b. 5-11-94) and Shondale E. Henson (d.o.b. 9-10-94).

On December 13, 2018, following a three-day bench trial, Associate Judge William Workman found Gerald Thomas Jr. guilty of two counts Attempt First Degree Murder, one count Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, and one count Unlawful Possession of Weapon by Felon. Judge Workman specifically found that during the commission of one of the Attempt First Degree Murder charges Thomas personally discharged a firearm that was the proximate cause of great bodily harm to a victim. Judge Workman further found that during the commission of the other Attempt First Degree Murder charge Thomas was armed with a firearm. The case was then continued for a sentencing hearing.

On February 12, 2019, Judge Workman sentenced Gerald Thomas Jr. to a total of 86 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Based on Illinois law, Thomas must serve at least 85% of the first 76 years and at least 50% the last 10 years. Thomas must then serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release (formerly called parole). Thomas also received credit for the 429 days he spent in custody while awaiting trial.

Also on February 12, 2019, Judge Workman accepted a fully negotiated plea agreement sending Jeremiah Friend to the Illinois Department of Corrections for 26 years for one count of Attempt First Degree Murder, followed by 3 years of mandatory supervised release. Friend must serve at least 85% of the sentence and was given received credit for 220 days spent in pre-trial detention.

On February 20, 2019, Judge Workman accepted fully negotiated plea agreements of Casey Cottrill and Shondale Henson. Cottrill and Henson each plead guilty to Aggravated Battery and were sentenced to 10 years and 8 years in the Department of Corrections, respectively. Each must serve 85% of the sentence and each must then serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release. Cottrill received credit for 435 days spent in pre-trial detention and Henson received credit for 434 days spent in pre-trial detention.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department with the help of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police. Thanks to the hard work and thorough investigation by law enforcement all four men involved in this incident have been successfully prosecuted and sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

“The senseless gun violence exhibited by these men will not be tolerated,” said Logan County State’s Attorney Bradley M. Hauge. “The people who live in this community deserve to feel safe in their homes and also in public. Those who have personal disagreements should keep these sentences in mind before turning to firearms to settle their differences.”