A west suburban man has been convicted of breaking into an Aurora home last year, beating a resident and stealing money.
Earnest T. Jeffries, 40, was convicted Friday of home invasion, armed robbery, unlawful restraint and aggravated fleeing and eluding, according to the Kane County state’s attorney’s office.
About 3:30 a.m. Aug. 28, 2014, Jeffries and 41-year-old Steve Simmons, both masked, forced their way into a home in the 800 block of Richard Street in Aurora, prosecutors said.
A couple inside, who had been asleep, woke up when the back door was kicked in, and Jeffries and Simmons began beating the man, then tied him up, held him at gunpoint and demanded cash, prosecutors said.
They ransacked the apartment and found $2,800 in cash, prosecutors said. The man freed himself and started fighting Jeffries and Simmons as the woman called police.
Jeffries and Simmons drove off in a white Cadillac and police chased them, prosecutors said. Simmons jumped from the car and ran away, and the car crashed a few blocks later.
Jeffries was found and arrested a short time later during a search of the neighborhood; Simmons was identified 10 months later through DNA evidence and taken into custody.
Jeffries faces between six and 63 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 19, according to the state’s attorney’s office. He remains in the Kane County jail.
Simmons pleaded guilty to home invasion Friday and was sentenced to 10 years.
