MT. VERNON, IL — A 45-year-old Mt. Vernon man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after he was sentenced Thursday in Jefferson County Court to multiple decades in connection with a double shooting last summer. Alvin C. Smallwood was sentenced to 60 years in prison on two Class X armed violence charges along with Class 2 being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jefferson County State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun called it a sad day for Smallwood’s family, who will now deal with the loss of a loved one to a lengthy prison sentence and for the victim who will suffer the effects of her injuries for the rest of her life despite Smallowood’s lengthy sentence. Featherstun added that unfortunately, all they can do is their best to protect the public from violent gun crime such as this.

According to the Mt. Vernon Police Department, they responded that July afternoon to a report of shots fired and a person lying on the ground in the 2800 block of College. MVPD officers and Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies, along with medical personnel from the Mt. Vernon Fire Department and Litton’s Ambulance responded to the area. Upon officers’ arrival, it was determined two people had been struck by gunfire and transported from the scene by personal vehicles. Both victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. In an unusual defense move, Smallwood took the stand at his April 2021 jury trial and provided testimony in the case against him.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before convicting him on the three charges.