Second Jacksonville man pleads guilty in Passavant Drive home invasion, sentenced

A second Jacksonville man has been convicted and sentenced in connection with an armed home invasion on Passavant Drive. On January 12, 2026, 23-year-old Koby Handy, previously listed as homeless, pleaded guilty in Morgan County Circuit Court to a Class X felony of home invasion with a deadly weapon. Circuit Judge Chris Reif imposed a six-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections, ordered 18 months of mandatory supervised release, and fined Handy $500. Handy received credit for 232 days already served in the Morgan County Jail.

Charging documents allege Handy and 21-year-old Malekye Haynes, also listed as homeless and from Jacksonville, forced entry into a residence in the 1600 block of Passavant Drive on December 30, 2024, armed with weapons and attempting to commit robbery. No further details about the incident have been released by authorities.

Haynes previously pleaded guilty to an amended charge of Class 2 felony Robbery on May 20 and was sentenced to seven years in IDOC for his role in the case. Under Handy’s plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed two counts of armed robbery without a firearm and domestic violence charges that stemmed from an unrelated May 18 arrest by Jacksonville Police. The plea and consequent dismissals resolved the county’s prosecution of Handy in the Passavant Drive matter.

Local residents said the case has kept neighbors talking about safety in the area. Passavant Drive is a residential stretch where break-ins raise immediate concerns about nighttime security, especially in households with elderly residents or families. A conviction and multi-year prison term will likely provide some immediate reassurance that the criminal justice system addressed the incident, but community members also note continued vigilance is needed.

The case highlights several persistent challenges for Jacksonville and Morgan County: the intersection of homelessness and crime, the role of plea bargaining in achieving convictions, and the balancing act courts perform between public safety and individualized sentencing. For many in the neighborhood, the outcome will translate into short-term relief and a reminder of the importance of neighborhood watch efforts and communication with Jacksonville Police.

Handy’s sentencing concludes the county’s prosecutions tied to the December 2024 incident. For residents, the practical takeaway is that the defendants have been held accountable through guilty pleas and prison terms, but local leaders and citizens may still weigh longer-term responses to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.