Donovan Smith
A Sherrard man has pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges. 29 year old Donovan C. Smith entered the plea yesterday at U.S. District Court in Davenport. He will be sentenced on August 29th. Smith was shot by a Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy during a weapons investigation last June 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—29 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 earlier this month to withdraw his guilty plea. Cady is serving his sentence at the Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.