This morning, Marlon Aaron Illescas was sentenced to 30 years in prison for six counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and Shooting At, Within, or Into a Building. The defendant was found guilty following a Lee County trial in December.
The crime happened on October 23, 2021. The defendant was seen holding a gun at a restaurant on Palm Beach Boulevard in Lee County. The Fort Myers Police Department and Lee
County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.
The defendant pointed his gun at them and then ran to a nearby McDonald’s, firing shots at law enforcement as he ran. He then barricaded himself inside the restaurant’s bathroom. Luckily, none of the officers or deputies were hit.
Law enforcement was able to safely get patrons and employees out of the restaurant. They then formed a perimeter around the building. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team also arrived on scene and after a brief stand-off, took the defendant into custody.
Assistant State Attorney Steven Vitale prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office, Communications Director