Quincy woman hopes court program can help her as it has others

Published 4:31 pm Thursday, July 23, 2026

QUINCY — A Quincy woman pleaded guilty to a number of charges in court on Thursday as part of an agreement that aims to keep her out of prison.

Kimberly Brown, 21, of Quincy, entered guilty pleas on three separate counts, as well as admitting to allegations in a petition to revoke probation on a separate charge.

As part of the plea deal, charges in three other cases were dismissed by the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office, opening the way for Judge Scott Larson to approve Brown for enrollment in the county’s Mental Health Court, one of three intensive probation programs under the Problem-Solving Court effort.

Brown admitted to violating the terms of her probation in a case where she previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of credit or debit cards. In August 2025, she was sentenced to 24 months’ probation on that charge.

The violations that led to the petition to revoke in that case stem from an arrest in September 2025, when Brown was arrested for domestic battery, and in February 2026, when she was charged with concealing or aiding a fugitive, as well as obstruction of justice by destroying evidence.

All four charges in the three cases are Class 4 felonies in Illinois, which could carry as much as six years in state prison if someone is convicted and has previous felony convictions.

Under the terms of the Mental Health Court, Brown was sentenced to one year in county jail with credit for time served and the remainder of the sentence stayed. She will serve 30 months on probation under the guidance of the county’s Mental Health Court manual, including being directed to attend domestic violence counseling, substance abuse treatment, mental health evaluations, and self-help groups, all at the direction and discretion of the probation department and Mental Health Court staff.

In addition, Brown was ordered to have no contact with another Quincy woman, Shelby Wires, who was the other party involved in Brown’s September domestic battery arrest and who was also arrested and charged with aiding a fugitive and destroying evidence alongside Brown.

Adams County operates the Problem-Solving Court programs as a way to provide a path back into the community while avoiding jail or prison time. The structure of the three programs is rigid, requiring more check-ins and updates with probation officers than standard probation.

At Thursday’s hearing, when Judge Larson asked Brown why she wanted to submit herself to the rigorous scrutiny that comes with the Mental Health Court, Brown said she hopes to be another success story for the program.

“It’s changed a lot of lives,” Brown told the judge. “I’m hoping it will change mine.”