Former Illinois Deputy Sean Grayson Sentenced To 20 Years

Sangamon County Circuit Judge Ryan Cadagin sentenced Sean Grayson to 20 years in prison for second-degree murder following a jury conviction in Oct. 2024 for the July 6, 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, according to court records.

The sentence ends a case that drew national protests, prompted a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry and a $10 million wrongful-death settlement negotiated by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, amid conflicting accounts over whether Massey posed a threat, court filings show.

Donna Massey, Sonya Massey’s mother, told the judge she is 'afraid to call the police' and urged the maximum sentence while State’s Attorney John Milhiser argued the 20-year term was necessary to deter misconduct, officials confirmed.

Sean Grayson, 31, had been charged with three counts of first-degree murder that could have led to life but was convicted of second-degree murder, a charge carrying a statutory range of four to 20 years and potential day-for-day credit, records show.

Sonya Massey’s family urged federal civil-rights prosecution after the hearing and defense attorney Mark Wykoff warned that Grayson’s advanced cancer could be endangered by incarceration, court documents and statements indicate.