A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for posing as an Uber driver to rob at least two victims in the River North neighborhood while he was on parole for murder.
Stacey Means, 47, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of robbery in exchange for the two concurrent sentences. Prosecutors dropped a long list of other felonies including kidnapping as part of the deal.
Prosecutors said Means lured two men into his vehicle on different nights during April 2018 by posing as a ride-hail service driver.
In one case, a 27-year-old suburban man said Means pointed a handgun at his face and ordered him to surrender his phone and debit card. Means then demanded the man’s PIN and drove to an ATM where Means withdrew $1,800 from the victim’s account, according to police records.
Means returned to the car and continued driving with the victim in the back seat. Police said the victim jumped out of Means’ car at a red light and ran to a gas station for help.
One week later, a covert police unit put Means’ vehicle under surveillance after detectives developed information about an SUV that was being used by a fake Uber driver in River North.
Undercover officers watched as Means and another man again posed as a ride-hail car to rob another victim in River North, according to court records. The officers said they tailed Means’ car as he drove to a nearby ATM where the victim was forced to withdraw money.
Means and his alleged accomplice were arrested minutes later. Prosecutors said Means was carrying more than $4,000 when he was arrested, including $3,600 in hundreds.
State records show that Means was paroled in July 2015 after serving 18 years of a 32-year sentence for murder. He also has previous prison sentences for narcotics in 1997 and illegal possession of a firearm in 1991.
His nine-year sentence will be reduced by 50% if he exhibits good behavior in prison. His parole date is set for April 9, 2024.
