By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD — The man accused in federal court of killing a McHenry County deputy earlier this month will also be prosecuted in circuit court, Winnebago County State’s Attorney Marilyn Hite Ross announced Wednesday.

Floyd Brown, 39, is charged in a 75-count indictment with 60 counts of first-degree murder in the March 7 shooting death of Jake Keltner. He’s also charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, four counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, two counts of armed habitual criminal, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, two counts of possession of a firearm without a FOID, and single counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated unlawful restraint.

“Mr. Brown is federal custody because Deputy Keltner was working as part of a U.S. Marshals task force,” Hite Ross said at a Wednesday press conference. “Our federal counterparts have also indicted and charged him with murder. The prosecutions will run parallel to each other.”

Brown has pleaded not guilty to federal charges and is due back in court Thursday. Hite Ross said she is collaborating with the attorney general’s office to determine with he will appear in circuit court.

“Both the federal government and the state court has jurisdiction to charge and prosecute him independently,” Hite Ross added.

Authorities say Brown was inside a room at the Extended Stay Hotel on March 7 when he opened fire at officers through the door as they attempted serve him with an arrest warrant. Prosecutors allege that Brown then jumped from a third-story window and shot Keltner, who was positioned outside. Keltner later died from a gunshot wound to the head.  Brown was arrested later that day near Decatur.

Brown faces the death penalty if he’s convicted of federal murder charges and life imprisonment if he’s convicted by the state. R.