Plainfield man found guilty of felony domestic battery after previous conviction

Will County — A Plainfield man has been convicted of felony domestic battery and other charges after having been previously convicted in a separate case of aggravated domestic battery in 2020.

Darrius Brown, 42, of Plainfield, was found guilty Monday by Will County Circuit Court Judge Carmen Goodman of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated unlawful restraint with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The charges were brought as a result of an attack on his then-girlfriend, Elizabeth Balbuena, in March 2018, according to the news release from the state’s attorney’s office.

Brown and Balbuena were at the home of Jamie Hollingsworth, the mother of Brown’s child, on March 17, 2018. Hollingsworth was not present, but Balbuena’s 5-year-old son was there, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Brown became angry after a phone call and threw his cellphone at Balbuena, striking her and causing her to bleed, the state’s attorney’s office said.

When Balbuena tried to leave the room, Brown grabbed her by the hood of her sweatshirt to stop her, causing her to choke, and he then followed Balbuena downstairs and around the house telling her she “was not going anywhere without him,” according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Brown eventually shook Balbuena with both arms, leaving bruises, and hit her head and back into a door, according to the state’s attorney’s office. He then pinned her to the door, placing his forearm across her neck to limit her breathing, and Balbuena’s son witnessed part of this attack, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

After the child left the room, Brown threatened Balbuena with a large hammer and forced her to drive him to his mother’s house in Chicago with her son in the car, according to the release.

When they arrived at the house, Brown stole Balbuena’s cellphone and went inside. Balbuena pursued him to retrieve her phone, and Brown punched her in the eye, pushed her, kicked her and hit her head against a wall, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Brown eventually threw Balbuena to the ground, kicked her repeatedly across her body and reportedly stomped on her with both feet, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Balbuena was treated at an emergency room for bruising across her body, cuts to her face and shin, a black eye and dizziness. At the time of the attack, Hollingsworth had not been in her home because she was in the hospital recovering from a four-day attack on her by Brown, which had taken place a month earlier, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

Brown was found guilty in the attack of aggravated domestic battery on Hollingsworth in October 2020 and is currently serving an eight-year sentence.

With the criminal history sentencing advancements, Brown could serve up to 30 years for the aggravated domestic battery of Balbuena. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 26.