By JOHN A. BALLENTINE
For The Prairie News
LaFAYETTE – A LaFayette man was arrested over the weekend and faces multiple charges stemming from an alleged case of kidnapping and torture.
On Saturday, Jan. 23, the Knox County Sheriff’s Department responded to the St. Mary’s emergency room in response to a victim who said she had been held against her will and was tortured for four days.
According to a Knox County Sheriff’s press release, the victim had injuries from being shot multiple times with a CO2 powered weapon, abrasions from a drill-powered wire brush, as well as bruises from being punched and hit with various weapons.
Through the course of the investigation, the Knox County Sheriff’s Department and the Knox County State’s Attorney’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Braden John Mallery, 25, of 2359 Illinois Route 17, LaFayette, as well as a search warrant for the residence.
Knox County detectives located multiple items used in the unlawful restraint and aggravated domestic battery that were consistent with the victim’s injuries and statements.
Methamphetamine, a firearm and ammunition were also located at the residence.
Mallery was arrested and charged with felony aggravated unlawful restraint, felony aggravated kidnapping, felony aggravated domestic battery, interfering with the report of a domestic battery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating the FOID (firearm owner’s identification) card act.
The Department of Family Services (DCFS) was also notified due to children being in the house during the alleged events.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Knox County State’s Attorney’s Office, Stark County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police.
Mallery is currently being held in custody at the Knox County Jail under a $150,000 bail bond, with 10 percent ($15,000) to apply.
Mallery has been scheduled for a Feb. 9 preliminary hearing in Knox County Circuit Court at 2 p.m.
Mallery has faced criminal charges across central Illinois.
He faced felony charges of reckless discharge of a weapon and aggravated assault in Knox County in 2019. In that incident, Mallery allegedly was in an altercation with a male relative and fired a shotgun in the air in the vicinity of two females. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge to have the felony dropped.
Also, Mallery allegedly was involved in two incidents in Peoria County at the Brimfield Casey’s Store in 2020, where he purportedly crashed his vehicle into another and left the scene. He was stopped later on Route 78 by a Stark County Sheriff’s deputy. Peoria County records show he was charged with aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and leaving the scene. Those charges are pending.
In addition, Mallery was found guilty of a felony charge of methamphetamine possession in Henry County in 2019. In Bureau County in 2018 he was charged with criminal trespass to land and in 2013 had an order of protection filed against him.
