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| Perkins (inset) beat and robbed a man near Belmont and Halsted in 2015, prosecutors said |
He punctured a man’s eardrum and busted the victim’s kneecap during a robbery on Boystown’s Halsted Street bar strip in September 2015, prosecutors said.
Earlier the same night, he robbed two other people on a Blue Line train.
Last week, Keith Perkins pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of aggravated robbery-indicating the presence of a firearm in the cases.
Now, Perkins is getting a taste of Illinois “justice.”
He’s been sentenced to 5-1/2 years in prison for each of the three robberies.
A normal person might think that three 5.5-year prison sentences will keep Perkins behind bars for over 16 years.
But, no.
He’ll be paroled in just over one year—on June 15, 2018.
Three Attacks In One Night
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| Suarez |
The Boystown victim suffered a punctured eardrum and a broken kneecap at the hands of Perkins and co-defendant Oscar Suarez near Belmont and Halsted, according to prosecutors. The duo also took the man’s phone.
Earlier that night, a CTA rider told police that Perkins placed him in a chokehold while Suarez went through the victim’s pants and took his phone and wallet.
A second victim on the same train told police that Suarez punched him in the face while Perkins and third man, Elohim Bey, held him. Suarez then went into the victim’s pockets and took his iPhone, the victim said.
Suarez is being held without bail awaiting trial in the cases.
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| Bey |
Bey last month received a four-year sentence after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated robbery-indicating presence of a firearm. He’ll be paroled after serving just one year and one week of his prison time—on February 16 of next year.
The Perkins Reduction
How did Perkins go from seemingly 16.5 years behind bars to just over a year in prison? Follow along:
• The judge ordered the three sentences to be served concurrently. So, that takes Perkins down to 5.5 years.
• Illinois gives virtually every inmate an automatic 50% sentence reduction. That takes him to 2.75 years.
• Subtract the time that Perkins sat in jail fighting the cases.
• Voila! He walks in just over a year.
Remember this the next time someone tells you how terrible Illinois is toward criminals.
