Man gets 15 years for suburban armed robbery spree

A man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a series of armed robberies at suburban electronics stores in 2012.

U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo handed down the sentence Thursday to 53-year-old Reginald Taylor, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Taylor pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal robbery and gun charges.

Prosecutors said Taylor “terrorized store employees by brandishing a handgun and threatening to shoot them if they did not comply with his demands,” and in one instance tied employees up with their own shoelaces.

“Our office will continue to be vigilant in investigating and prosecuting armed robbers,” U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr. said in the statement. “We will advocate for substantial prison sentences – like the 15-year sentence imposed in this case – in order to keep our communities safe.”

The robberies occurred:

• Sept. 20, 2012, at the T-Mobile store at 273 S. Randall Road in Elgin;
• Nov. 1, 2012, at the RadioShack at 21182 S. La Grange Road in Frankfort; and
• Nov. 7, 2012, at the RadioShack at 11901 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights.

Taylor was arrested on Nov. 7, 2012, after attempting to rob another RadioShack at 4811 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn, prosecutors said. In his plea agreement, Taylor admitted to the three heists and one attempted robbery, which netted him $54,000 in cash and hundreds of cellphones.

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