Repeat offender faces prison, but fatal McHenry overdose charge dropped
A repeat drug offender from Wonder Lake faces prison when sentenced in January 2019 for delivering heroin to a man who later fatally overdosed.
However, prosecutors dismissed a drug-induced homicide charge against Shawn M. Brand, 35, which carried a prison term of six to 30 years, in exchange for the guilty plea.
Brand is held without bond after pleading guilty late last week to delivery of a controlled substance, a felony that carries a punishment of four to 15 years in prison, but also is eligible for probation.
The drug-induced homicide charge was for the July 5, 2017 death of Jeremy Caccamo, 29.
Prosecutors said McHenry County Sheriff's Office investigators recovered text messages from Caccamo's phone that showed he set up a drug deal with Brand.
The evidence showed Brand sold two bags of heroin to Caccamo for $20. Investigators found "multiple" empty packages containing heroin residue at the scene of Caccamo's death and Brand admitted he sold two bags to Caccamo, but not the other empty packets, prosecutors said.
Brand made a "cold" or "blind" plea to the heroin delivery charge in which a defendant does not have an agreement with prosecutors and instead leaves it in the hands of a judge. Judge Sharon Prather will decide Brand's sentence Jan. 10, 2019.
A message left for Brand's defense attorney, Henry Sugden, was not immediately returned.
Last week's guilty plea is at least Brand's fourth felony conviction, according to McHenry County court records.
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison in March 2015 after pleading guilty to a felony charge of heroin possession and delivery from an arrest in January 2015.
In January 2014, Brand pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance out of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office from an August 2013 arrest. He served 156 days in jail, was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and issued two years of probation, records show.
Brand was arrested and charged in December 2011 with felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic needle, a misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to the felony in March 2012, got credit for 28 days served in jail, 100 hours of community service, along with two years of probation, which he failed to complete and was later sent to prison, records show.
In November 2006, Brand was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. He later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving, but failed to complete one year of conditional discharge and served four days in jail, records show.