A South Side man has pleaded guilty to committing 11 separate robberies across the city in the spring and summer of 2017. Christopher Taylor, 22, has been sentenced to seven years in prison — or about eight months for each hold-up — by Cook County Judge Catherine Haberkorn. His anticipated release date is May 30, 2024.
Among the crimes Taylor pleaded guilty to are six muggings of men and women in the Lincoln Park and Lakeview East neighborhoods during July 2017. Prosecutors alleged that Taylor worked with co-defendant Bryce McGill, 21, to pull off those robberies.
McGill’s cases continue to work their way through the court system and he has not been convicted of any crimes. He’s due back in court on Oct. 22.
Police found a “treasure trove” of robbery proceeds in McGill’s backpack after arresting him near the Addison Red Line station shortly after a mugging on July 14, 2017, according to court records.
During an initial court appearance after McGill’s arrest, a public defender infamously told a judge that McGill had received a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, the Chicago Tribune reported:
“UNC? Full ride?” Judge Peggy Chiampas asked loudly in the courtroom. “I need a break,” she said before briefly storming from the courtroom for a brief recess.
The school quickly denied any knowledge of McGill.
In addition, Taylor pleaded guilty to robbing another victim without McGill in the 2000 block of North Fremont on July 6, 2017.
Prosecutors also charged Taylor with a series of wireless store robberies on the South Side between May 25 and July 2, 2017. Taylor was accused of knocking off four Boost Mobile stores by pretending that he was holding a gun inside of a bag. Cops arrested him after he walked into a Boost location and offered to sell them six iPhones that were still in factory packaging, police said.