ROCKFORD, IL — Floyd E. Brown, the man being charged in the shooting death of McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy and U.S. Marshal Task Force member Jacob Keltner appeared in federal court Monday. According to The Daily Herald, the 39-year-old, from Springfield, was wheeled into the Rockford courtroom wearing a hospital gown, white vest, while sporting a bandaged right arm as his wheelchair was placed towards Judge Ian Johnston.
According to the news report, Brown was told he could face the death penalty if convicted, as he faces dozens of felony charges, including first-degree murder in the March 7 fatal shooting of Deputy Keltner at a Rockford Extended Stay America on North Bell School Road. The Daily Herald added that during the 11-minute court hearing, Johnston said, “This is a capital case. The possible penalty is death.”
Brown is being held by U.S. Marshals without bond and his next court date is scheduled for March 20 in federal court in Rockford, due to the fact Keltner was working as a member of a federal task force when he was fatally shot.
More Patch coverage:
Patch recently reported a 25-year-old woman also was wounded during Thursday’s incident at the hotel around 9:15 a.m., just hours before the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the 35-year-old deputy died. Rockford police said she was an acquaintance of the suspect who was also inside the hotel room, and sustained a gunshot wound from Brown, who was apparently using a rifle. She was taken to a Rockford hospital for treatment, according to police, who said they do not believe she was shot by law enforcement as Rockford Police said no rounds were fired by authorities.
The sheriff’s office said Keltner died just after 3:30 a.m. after he was shot that morning while attempting to assist the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in arresting Brown on several outstanding warrants, including burglary charges out of McLean and Champaign counties; failure to appear out of Sangamon County; and parole violation via the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). The Rockford Police Department said the suspect shot and hit the deputy who was outside the building.
The Rockford Police Department said Brown drove away from the Rockford area after the incident in a gray or silver Mercury Grand Marquis with an Illinois license plate number of BF13112. Troopers with the Illinois State Police later found the vehicle on southbound I-55 between Bloomington and Springfield in Logan County. Rockford police added that when troopers tried to stop the vehicle, it crashed and Brown was later taken into custody by Illinois State Police.
According to records from IDOC and Sangamon County court records, Brown’s trouble with the law dates back to 1995. There are more than a dozen pages listing charges against Brown in Sangamon County, including resisting a peace office and criminal misdemeanors.
IDOC records include 2001 felony charges of possessing a weapon, 2011 residential burglary conviction and prison sentence, followed by a disorderly conduct charge, and then an emergency order of protection that expired during July 2018.
Brown also had several other charges, speeding tickets and violations before he spent time in prison.
Patch will continue updating this story as information comes in.
Click Here: Cheap Chiefs Rugby Jersey 2019