A 41-year-old homeless man was charged Friday in connection with an attack on a Belleville food pantry volunteer who family members said has had his left eyeball removed during surgery.
Cortez L. Wilson was charged with four counts of felony aggravated battery, the Belleville Police Department announced Friday.
Belleville officers were called Thursday morning to the Community Interfaith Food Pantry at 1218 W. Main St. They found two men who had been attacked.
Several witnesses described the suspect to officers, who were able to arrest him in the 1300 block of West Main Street.
The suspect was previously banned from the property and struck the pantry workers when he was being escorted off the property, police said in a news release.
Both pantry workers were struck in the face. One suffered minor injuries but the other one, identified as Mike Foppe by family members, has had his left eye removed.
Wilson’s bail was set at $75,000 and he was being held in the Belleville Police Department on Friday.
Wilson previously has been convicted of numerous offenses, according to St. Clair County online records. His convictions include aggravated assault on a peace officer in 2005, domestic battery in 1999 and mob action in 1998.
