Joliet man sentenced to 8 years in prison for savage 2019 motel attack

A Joliet man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after he pleaded guilty to brutally attacking a former girlfriend he accused of infidelity while the two were at a motel in 2019.

On Wednesday, Judge Derek Ewanic sentenced Charles Galloway, 45, of Joliet, to eight years in prison for the offenses of felony aggravated domestic battery and misdemeanor domestic battery, according to a news release from Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office.

Galloway pleaded guilty to the offenses on June 27. He was on parole from prison for a DuPage County burglary conviction at the time he committed the offenses, Glasgow’s office said.

“This case shows the brutality and continuing fear faced by victims of domestic abuse and violence. Victims become captives of their abusers who use emotional and physical cruelty to control them,” Glasgow said in a statement.

Glasgow said these cases are the most difficult to prosecute because the victims are living under “constant emotional, financial, and physical threat and intimidation by their abusers while their cases are pending.”

“We must use every tool available to prosecute abusers and protect the victims during and after the prosecution of the case,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow’s office said the savage attack took place on Nov. 7, 2019.

In the days leading up to it, Galloway and the victim had been arguing and Galloway refused to allow her to leave, according to Glasgow’s office. Galloway and the victim were in a dating relationship and living in a motel in Joliet.

“On [Nov. 7, 2019], Galloway accused the victim of infidelity, grabbing her phone and proceeding to look through it. He began calling several of her friends and questioning them about victim,” according to Glasgow’s office.

Following an argument, Galloway attacked the woman and broke her phone to pieces by throwing it at a wall, Glasgow’s office said. The woman managed to flee from the motel room to the manager’s office, which was closed.

“As she frantically pounded on the door and screamed for help, Galloway caught up with her, dragging her back toward their room,” Glasgow’s office said.

Galloway continued to attack her, but the manager was able to see the attack and called 911. The manager urged the dispatcher to send the police immediately and saying, “He’s going to kill her,” according to Glasgow’s office.

Following Galloway’s arrest‚ he called the victim from the jail multiple times in an attempt to intimidate her into not participating in the prosecution, Glasgow’s office said.

Glasgow commended the work of Will County Assistant State’s Attorneys Alexandra Molesky and Ashley Kwasneski, state’s attorney investigator Mike Reilly, victim witness advocates Mallory Magee and Katrice Sawyer, technical specialist Al Bailey, Joliet police officers Bill Otis and Ryan Myers, and Will County Sheriff’s Sgt. Sean Audy.

Victims of domestic violence should contact Guardian Angel Community Services Groundwork Domestic Violence Program through their 24-hour hotline by phone at 815-729-1228. The number for Spanish speakers is 815-729-0930, extension 1439.

Their website is gacsprograms.org/groundwork.