BLOOMINGTON — A man with a history of child molestation and probation violations will face new charges after allegedly firing a gun at a man walking on a Bloomington trail.
Randy Francis, 44, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, intimidation with a deadly weapon, attempt to commit battery with a deadly weapon, and criminal recklessness with a firearm. The charges stem from an incident on August 14, when the victim was walking near the B-Line Trail near South Camden Drive.
According to court documents, the victim encountered Francis and another individual sitting on a bench in the early morning hours. Francis reportedly became aggressive and asked the victim to look at his laser light. The victim kept walking, but said Francis pulled a gun from a backpack and fired it off to the side. The victim sped up and heard a second shot, which he believed was aimed at him after hearing a “whizzing sound” near his head.
Police arrived shortly after and found Francis and the other person. The second individual, who admitted to owning the firearm, told police he had let Francis carry the gun but claimed he didn’t see what happened. He stated he heard the shots and saw Francis return with the gun.
Francis is currently being held in Monroe County Jail. His attorney has filed a request for monitored conditional release.
Court records reveal a history of legal troubles for Francis. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to child molestation and was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released on probation in 2014 but was arrested multiple times for probation violations, resulting in a five-year prison sentence in 2016. Francis was released from prison in July 2021. He was also arrested in 2022 for failing to register as a sex offender, a case that is still ongoing, and was released with a summons to appear in court. In 2023, he was charged with resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, booked into jail, and released on pretrial monitoring.
This case is also still ongoing.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
