Prison-Bound Robber Tells Judge: 'Never Said I Was an Angel'

By Joseph Hosey

Antoine Kelly was the last of four men to take a guilty plea and prison sentence for a daring 2011 Orland Park jewelry store stickup. And before he learned how long he was going away, he asked the judge to "have some leniency on me."

"Your honor, I'm deeply sorry for my crime that I committed and I should be punished for the crime that I committed," Kelly, 33, told Cook County Judge Colleen Hyland during a Tuesday morning hearing at the Bridgeview courthouse.

"I never said I was an angel," Kelly said.

Assistant State's Attorney James Sarros said he and Kelly's attorney, Jeff Aprati, hammered out a deal for Kelly to receive a 21-year prison sentence. Kelly must serve half the time and has already done more than a year in the Cook County Jail.

Sarros said the victim of the armed robbery considered the sentence to be "excellent."

"That's the only reason I'm going along with the recommendation and the agreement," Judge Hyland told Kelly.

Kelly and three other men—Charles Harper, 39, Darrin Carter, 34, and Lance Vaughn, 33—robbed Jewelry Gems & Design in October 2011.

Kelly's part in the heist was to pose as a Jewelry Gems & Design customer along with Harper. The pair asked to see engagement rings and while discussing the jewelry with two employees, Kelly grabbed one of them by the throat and Harper whipped out a handgun.

Sarros said just before they sprang into action, Harper told Kelly, "If you're going to do it, do it now."

Kelly and Harper proceeded to bind their victims' hands with duct tape and then let Carter into the store. Carter helped with grabbing jewelry and hauling it out to two getaway cars. Vaughn kept a lookout from one of the cars.

The other three men are already doing time in prison for the robbery. Harper got 22 years, Carter was sentenced to 16 years and Vaughn got 13.

Kelly has another armed robbery case pending in Maywood, Sarros said. He was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.

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