Man sentenced to 30 years for armed standoff at Fort Myers McDonald’s

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Marlon Aaron Illescas, 42. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office

A man was sentenced Monday morning to 30 years in prison after he barricaded himself inside a Fort Myers McDonald’s with a gun in 2021.

Marlon Aaron Illescas, 42, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for six counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and shooting at, within, or into a building. He was found guilty following a Lee County trial in December.

The crime happened on Oct. 23, 2021. Illescas was seen holding a gun at a restaurant on Palm Beach Boulevard in Lee County. The Fort Myers Police Department and Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

Illescas pointed his gun at them and then ran to a nearby McDonald’s, firing shots at law enforcement as he ran. He then barricaded himself inside the restaurant’s bathroom. None of the officers or deputies were hit. While in the bathroom, authorities say Illescas tried to set the building on fire with toilet paper and a garbage can.

Law enforcement evacuated patrons and employees from the restaurant and surrounded the building. LCSO’s SWAT team arrived and took Illescas into custody after a brief stand-off.

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