June 29, 2023, Peoria, IL – Today, in a tumultuous sentencing hearing, David E. Dillard, 27, received the maximum sentence of 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for a shooting caught on camera that left an innocent bystander permanently blind. During the hearing, Dillard was so combative and disrespectful that Judge John Vespa momentarily removed him from the courtroom.
Assistant State’s Attorney Brenda McCavitt argued that the maximum sentence was deserved due to the evidence against him, his prior criminal record, and the lifelong impact on the victim.
In April, a Peoria County Jury found Dillard guilty of Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon for a shooting that took place at Laramie Liquors in March 2021.