A former south suburban police officer who used traffic stops as opportunities to shake down motorists for cash and drugs has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison.
Antoine Larry, 50, of Bolingbrook, received a sentence of five years and three months from U.S. District Judge John F. Kness on June 8 after a federal jury convicted him earlier this year of conspiracy, extortion, and attempted extortion charges, officials said.
According to prosecutors, Larry and his supervisor on the Phoenix (IL) Police Department, Sgt. Jarrett Snowden conspired to solicit cash and controlled substances from people they stopped in Phoenix and Harvey between 2020 and 2022. The officers allegedly targeted motorists who faced the possibility of arrest, vehicle impoundment, or other legal trouble and whom they believed were unlikely to report the shakedowns.
In exchange for money or drugs, the officers offered reduced charges, no citations, a promise not to tow vehicles, or simply allowed motorists to leave without further consequences, prosecutors said. Trial evidence showed the pair sometimes used coded language when seeking bribes, arranged for payments to be delivered at a gas station, or relied on intermediaries to collect money on their behalf.
According to court records, the officers stole more than $15,000 in cash and drugs from at least 10 victims. The amounts taken ranged from relatively small sums to more than $1,000 during individual encounters. Prosecutors also said the officers concealed their crimes by filing false police reports that omitted seized cash, narcotics, and other evidence. In some cases, stolen controlled substances were allegedly sold to a drug dealer, with the proceeds divided between the officers.
Snowden, of Lansing, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge before Larry’s trial and admitted participating in the scheme, officials said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27.
