Prosecutors secure 95 Year prison sentence for 2009 Armed Robbery Case
A Chicago man who shot two people and left a 16-year-old victim severely injured during a robbery near a convenience store on Chicago’s West Side has been sentenced to 95 years in prison, according to the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez
Regalardo Smith, 30, was previously convicted of felony charges including Armed Robbery, Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, Vehicular Invasion and Armed Violence, for the shooting that injured the 16-year-old and another man.
According to prosecutors, on May 2, 2009, at approximately 10:30 p.m., near 3555 West Roosevelt Road, Smith approached the two victims as they walked to their car after they closed the store where they worked. The defendant displayed a gun and reached into the vehicle where one victim was sitting in the passenger seat and demanded money. Smith then grabbed a bag from the victim and took money that was inside.
The 16-year-old victim, who was in the passenger seat, struggled with Smith and the defendant fired the gun three times, striking the victim in the legs and abdomen. The other man came to aid of the victim and also struggled with the defendant over the gun. The gun went off during the struggle and a bullet nicked the second victim in the leg. The man was able to wrestle the gun from Smith and the weapon was later recovered by police. According to prosecutors, after the shooting Smith fled on foot but was apprehended by police near the scene of the incident with proceeds from the robbery in his possession. As a result of the shooting, the 16-year-old victim suffered various internal injuries and had to undergo multiple surgeries as one of the bullets was lodged less than one inch from his spine.
Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson imposed the 95-year sentence during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago on November 7, 2013.
State’s Attorney Alvarez thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Boersma and Leanna Miehlich as well as the Chicago Police Department for their handling of the case.
