Chicago man sentenced for back-to-back armed robberies while on parole
Pictured is Robert Howard, 31.
WHEATON, Ill. - A Chicago man on parole for two armed robberies has been sentenced to 38 years in prison.
Robert Howard, 31, appeared in court Thursday morning for his sentence related to robbing a gas station in Downers Grove and a convenience store in Oakbrook Terrace on the same day, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney.
Howard was denied bond during a court appearance on June 23, 2021, and has remained in custody since.
On July 25, 2024, he entered a blind plea of guilty to two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony. Due to his criminal history, he was eligible for an extended term, resulting in a sentence of 21 to 60 years.
The first robbery occurred at 2:42 p.m., June 15, 2021, at a Speedway gas station at 5004 Fairview Avenue in Downers Grove.
When officers arrived, they were unable to locate Howard. However, an investigation revealed he had gone into the store, went to a cooler and took an item before walking to the register.
Howard displayed a gun in his waistband and ordered the store clerk to open the register. He threatened, "Open the register. I'm gonna shoot you if you don't give me the money." When the clerk couldn't open a second register, Howard stole two packs of Newport 100 cigarettes before fleeing, according to officials.
Authorities identified Howard as a suspect and searched his home on June 21, 2021, after obtaining a warrant.
On the same day, Howard returned home for a meeting with his parole officer and saw police. He began to run away, but tripped, soon landing him in custody, officials said.
At the time of his arrest, officers found a loaded semiautomatic handgun in his waistband that was used in the Speedway gas station robbery.
Further investigation revealed that Howard had also robbed a 7-Eleven convenience store in Oakbrook Terrace on June 15, 2021, nearly an hour after the first robbery.
Prosecutors said Howard requested a job application at the convenience store and filled it out while waiting for the store to clear. A short time later, he approached a store clerk, showed a gun and took off with $400 from the cash register.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin issued this statement on the case:
"On parole for less than seven months, Mr. Howard has no business being in possession of a loaded handgun, let alone terrorizing two hard-working individuals at gunpoint to commit two armed robberies," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. "Mr. Howard’s repeated criminal behavior demonstrates his complete disregard for the rule of law and public safety. Judge Guerin’s 38-year sentence, however, sends the message that in DuPage County, we respect the law, and anyone found guilty of armed, violent criminal behavior will be held accountable. I commend the Downers Grove and Oakbrook Terrace Police Department for their outstanding efforts in this case, which ultimately led to a significant sentence of thirty-eight years behind bars. I thank Assistant State’s Attorney Alyssa Rabulinski for her efforts in preparing a strong case against Mr. Howard."