A 19-year-old Centralia man has pleaded guilty in Marion County Court to an aggravated battery charge. As part of the plea, a robbery charge against Blake Smith of East 3rd in connection with the same incident was dropped.
Smith and two juveniles were arrested in connection with a December 2019 incident at the Point on Raccoon Lake where an 18-year-old male runaway from Chicago allegedly had a gold chain stolen. Smith admitted to grabbing the man by his hair and neck.
Smith also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of possession of under five grams of methamphetamine.
He received a concurrent sentence on both of two years probation and 90 days in the Marion County Jail with credit for 41 days already served. He will also have to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation and treatment.
