Head of Crew Behind Deerfield Cell Phone Store Armed Robbery Convicted

A Park Forest man was convicted Friday of leading an armed robbery crew responsible for knocking over cell phone stores in Deerfield and other suburbs.

Eric Curtis, 31, was found guilty of the following charges:

• conspiracy to commit robbery
• three counts of robbery
• being a felon in possession of a firearm
• three counts of using a firearm in a crime of violence

Curtis could be sentenced anywhere between the mandatory minimum of 57 years to the maximum of life in prison. His sentencing hearing is Aug. 4.

More Coverage on Patch:

• Alleged Brains Behind Robbery Ring Caught by Woodridge Police
• Prosecutors: Deerfield T-Mobile Robbery Part of Multi-State Conspiracy

Prosecutors accused Curtis of recruiting an armed crew in 2013 that robbed cell phone stores at gunpoint in Deerfield, Addison, Woodridge and Norridge, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office press release. Curtis would then sell the stolen phones and divvy up the profits with the rest of the crew.

Seven other members of Curtis' crew already have pleaded guilty to the robberies, including Eric Rogers, of Hazel Crest, who prosecutors call a top leader in the gang. In his plea deal with prosecutors, Rogers also admitted the armed robbers hit stores in Joliet, East Peoria and La Porte, Ind.

Curtis and Rogers were arrested in December of 2013 following the robbery of a T-Mobile store in Woodridge.

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