Markham man pleads guilty to battery against Polo woman

OREGON – A Markham man will begin serving his 30-day jail sentence June 18 after pleading guilty May 28 to battering a 17-year-old Polo woman in December 2022.

Armon D. Pearson, 25, also was sentenced to 24 months of probation after pleading guilty to the misdemeanor offense as he appeared before Judge Anthony Peska.

Pearson’s attorney, Brian Erwin, and Assistant Ogle County State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten told Peska that a plea agreement had been reached on a new charge of battery, and a felony charge of sexual assault, filed in July 2023, would be dismissed.

Pearson originally was charged with criminal sexual assault of a 17-year-old in Polo on Dec. 13, 2022. He pleaded not guilty Feb. 14, 2023, and requested a jury trial.

Under the new charge, filed May 28, Pearson is accused of making physical contact of “an insulting or provoking nature” with the woman.

Peska sentenced Pearson to serve 30 days in the Ogle County Jail with credit for six days served.

As part of the probation sentence, Pearson must “cooperate and satisfactorily complete” a domestic violence intervention program, cooperate and complete psychological or substance abuse assessments or treatments, and not have any contact – indirectly or directly – with the victim.

He also was ordered to pay $1,039 in fines and court costs in payments of $200 until paid in full.

Pearson was ordered to turn himself in at the jail June 18.