Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
Police announced that were more than 50 robberies this week across the Northwest side of Chicago. They announced four suspects responsible for what they believe are four of the robberies. As they were making the announcement, a woman who was walking her dog was robbed at gunpoint by several men who rushed her from an SUV. They grabbed her purse, stole the keys to her vehicle, and took her jeep.
The robberies appear to be linked, according to Chicago police, and the MO is similar. The assailants approach the victim while they are alone, walking or in their car. They rob them at gunpoint and make off with their belongings. The suspects have been charged in four armed robberies, but police are currently attempting to link them to the other 50 or more that have occurred in the past month.
Armed Robbery With a Firearm
Most folks who commit armed robberies spend decades behind bars. Illinois considers armed robbery a class-X felony, placing it in the most serious category of offenses. Since the defendant was carrying a firearm, the sentencing range increases. Armed robbery includes any deadly weapon, including a knife or an ax. However, a firearm qualifies the defendant for a longer sentence. A suspect convicted of armed robbery could spend 55 years behind bars without a proper defense.
The presumptive sentencing range for armed robbery is between 6 and 30 years. However, the presence of a gun adds a potential 15 years to the sentence. The defendants are each facing four counts of armed robbery with a firearm and could face more as police investigate similar robberies across Chicago.
If the prosecutors can get the four armed robbery charges to stick and nothing else, the defendants would still be facing 20 to 30 years, depending on what aggravating factors were applied to their case. 24 years assumes there are no aggravating factors, and the defendants would be sentenced to the minimum six-year term for each charge.
Armed Robbery is No Way to Make a Living
They say that psychopaths do not respond to fear of punishment. But the majority of individuals, even in prison, are not psychopaths. For psychopaths, reward is much more inspiring than punishment. Psychopaths tend to ignore or mitigate the fear of punishment. For them, three months’ worth of living large on the stolen money of others is worth the risk of a lifetime in prison. In these cases, it could help to identify a ringleader for prosecutors to set up as the prime mover of the robbery ring. The state would be willing to trade evidence against the ringleader in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Today
Chicago criminal defense lawyer, David Freidberg, represents the interest of those charged with serious crimes such as armed robbery in Cook County. Call today at (312) 560-7100 to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
