ALTON/GODFREY – Several domestic battery cases have been filed in Madison County in recent weeks, with most involving prior domestic battery offenders.
Travis L. Watley, 40, of Alton, was charged with his fourth offense of domestic battery, a Class 3 felony, on Jan. 22, 2025. The day prior on Jan. 21, Watley allegedly struck a household or family member “about the face with a closed fist,” according to court documents.
He had previously been convicted of domestic battery on two prior occasions in 2009 and aggravated battery in another prior case from 2005, each in Madison County. The latest domestic battery case against Watley was presented by the Alton Police Department.
While he was granted pretrial release from custody, a motion for additional conditions on his release has been filed, citing previous attempts to threaten or perpetrate physical abuse towards the victim from this case.
Brandon E. Ford, 39, of Madison, was charged with a Class 2 felony count of aggravated domestic battery on Jan. 15, 2025. He reportedly punched the victim “about the head with [a] closed fist multiple times, causing [the victim] to sustain facial and nasal fractures.”
A petition was filed to deny Ford’s pretrial release, adding that he was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections at the time of this incident. The Venice Police Department presented the case against Ford, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office records indicate he currently remains in custody.
Demetrius L. Porter, 48, of Alton, was charged with his second felony count of domestic battery, a Class 4 felony. He had previously been convicted of a felony count of domestic battery in a 1999 Madison County case following a misdemeanor count of the same offense in 1997.
In this case, presented by the Alton Police Department, Porter allegedly pushed a household or family member multiple times and “stomped on her hand with his foot” on Jan. 10, 2025. He was granted pretrial release from custody with additional conditions, including that he not possess a firearm and not contact or be within 500 feet of the victim in this case.
Zebedee E. Allison, 40, of Godfrey, was charged with his second offense of domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. On Jan. 9, 2024, he reportedly struck the victim about the face with an open hand. He had previously been convicted of domestic battery in Madison County in 2007.
The newest case against Allison was presented by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and he was granted pretrial release from custody.
Charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
