Donovan Smith
Another delay in the sentencing of a Sherrard man on federal firearms charges. 30 year old Donovan C. Smith’s sentencing hearing was moved from last Thursday to this past Wednesday at U.S. District Court in Peoria, but another continuance has been asked for by Smith’s attorney. A new hearing date has yet to be scheduled. Smith pleaded guilty to the two counts of unlawful transport of firearms last April. He was shot by a Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy during a weapons investigation in June of 2018 in the Viola area and the shooting was later ruled justified by the Mercer and Henry County Major Crimes Task Force. Smith remains in U.S. Marshals Service custody. A co-defendant in the case—30 year old Alex Cady of Preemption, is serving 15 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to Class X felony state charges of armed violence last October. A judge denied a defense motion in April to withdraw his guilty plea. Cady is serving his sentence at the Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.