Illinois Valley Times

There are eight inmates sentenced in Lasalle County set to be released from jail in May, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Chamarr L. Pennywell, who served the longest sentence among them, spent more than 12 years incarcerated for an offense recorded as 'aggravated battery on a child under 13 causing permanent disability'.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois spends about $45,828 a year per incarcerated person. In a 2023 study by the Prison Policy Initiative, the state's incarceration rate was at 433 per 100,000, higher than every industrialized country, except the United States. When compared with its surrounding states, Illinois was the lowest. Kentucky and Missouri have rates over 700 per 100,000.

Another study by the Prison Policy Initiative highlighted that the number of unconvicted individuals was more than two times higher than that of convicted individuals, possibly one of the leading causes of jail growth in the state.

Most prison inmates are released on some condition of supervised monitoring upon reentering civilian life. This monitoring can last from one year to the rest of someone’s life.

Name	Offense	Supervised Release Date	Holding Facility
Chamarr L. Pennywell	AGG BATTERY/CHILD <13/PERM DISABL	05/02/2025	Illinois River Correctional Center
Joshua Townsel	AGG BATTERY/PEACE OFFICER	05/14/2025	Danville Correctional Center
Christopher W. Downey	POSS AMT CON SUB EXCEPT(A)/(D)	05/19/2025	Stateville Correctional Center
Brett W. Merritt	AGG CRIM SEX ABUSE/<5 YR VIC	05/19/2025	Taylorville Correctional Center
Anthony M. Cuevas	AGG FLEEING/2+ DISOBEY TRAFFIC DEVICES	05/22/2025	Stateville Correctional Center
Michael A. West	CONT SUBS ACT-MANU/DEL	05/27/2025	Vandalia Correctional Center
Darrick U. Montgomery	DOMESTIC BATTERY/PHY CONTACT/2ND+	05/27/2025	Danville Correctional Center
Matthew R. Spayer	CRIM SEXUAL ABUSE/CONSENT	05/28/2025	Taylorville Correctional Center