Aurora Man Gets 30-Year Sentence As Armed Habitual Criminal

AURORA, IL — An Aurora man will spend 30 years in prison after he was convicted of being an armed habitual criminal following a series of crimes that culminated with an arrest for illegally possessing a gun in 2015. Ronald Smith, 34, of the 300 block of West Illinois Avenue, had been sentenced to prison four times prior to this recent conviction for drug offenses, armed robbery, and possessing a stolen car.

On Sept. 19, 2015, Aurora police got a tip that Smith had planned an armed robbery and was in a white pickup truck. Police later spotted the truck and pulled it over for a traffic violation.

Smith was in the passenger side of the truck and appeared to hide something under the seat, according to police.

When police asked Smith to get out of the car, he was wearing a black mask around his neck, black gloves, black pants, and a black sweatshirt. They then searched the truck and found a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol under the seat where Smith was sitting.

Smith's prior convictions made it illegal for him to possess a gun, police say. He was also on parole for a 2009 conviction at the time of his arrest.

At the sentencing hearing, Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said, "Mr. Smith received the sentence he and the community deserved. He has a horrible criminal record and is a significant public safety threat."

McMahon continued, "My thanks to the person who called police and spoke up when Mr. Smith was about to rob someone at gunpoint, to the Aurora Police Department, which foiled a violent crime and removed a career criminal from Aurora for a very long time, and to Assistant State's Attorney Bianca Camargo.

Smith must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.