MONROE — Two more codefendants in the February 2017 burglary of the Monroe Radio Shack were sentenced last month in Green County Circuit Court.
The burglary and theft of 80 cellphones was just one of a string of burglaries in a multi-state enterprise and is related to gang activity in Aurora, Illinois, said District Attorney Craig Nolen.
Tynario Rashard Brown, 23, and Michael Lavell Bush Jr, 27, both from the Aurora area, are the fifth and sixth codefendants to be sentenced in the burglary.
Brown was sentenced Jan. 11 to 18 months in prison and four years on extended supervision after pleading no contest to the Class F felony count of burglary as a party to a crime. Related charges of theft and criminal damage to property were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Bush was sentenced Jan. 17 to two years in prison and four years on extended supervision after pleading guilty to the Class F felony count of burglary as a party to a crime. His related charges of theft and criminal damage to property were dismissed but “read in,” meaning the judge could consider them at sentencing.
Bush is ordered to maintain absolute sobriety and undergo an assessment for alcohol and other drug abuse.
Since 2017, Bush had an intervening prison sentence in Illinois for convictions related to passing a counterfeit $10 bill and stealing the tools used to commit the Radio Shack burglary, said Nolen.
The case against the seventh and final codefendant in the burglary is still pending. Campanella L. Ford III, 23, Oswego, Illinois, stood mute Feb. 1 and has a pre-trial conference Feb. 26.
Ford’s case has been delayed while he served a prison term elsewhere, according to Nolen.
Four other Aurora-area codefendants have already been sentenced or entered deferred prosecution agreements for the burglary: Monte T. Brannon, 22, Diamond Rikki Madison, 23, Alexis Marylin Beyer, 20, and Trejamario Deshad Allen Cook, 26.
Cook was the ringleader of the burglary, said Nolen. Cook told investigators their plan was to sell the stolen phones in Chicago.
The group used two vehicles to pull off the burglary in the early morning hours of Feb. 14, 2017 at the Radio Shack and U.S. Cellular outlet at 301 6th Ave. West, according to court records. Five broke into the store while others waited in getaway vehicles.
Surveillance video showed that five people in dark clothing and masks shattered the front door, broke into a locked storage room and loaded 80 cellphones into a duffle bag.
The heist was completed in 73 seconds, but it was ultimately unsuccessful.
Police responded to the area minutes later when a citizen reported seeing the burglary in progress. The drivers of a maroon 2016 Kia Optima and a gray 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, both with Illinois plates, drove off from the Radio Shack and led police on a chase down Wisconsin 11-81 at speeds topping 100 mph.
Police used “stop sticks” to apprehend the Kia in the Town of Spring Grove and the Jeep in Rock County. The passengers of the Kia fled on foot into nearby farm fields and eluded officers.
Police recovered 68 phones in the Kia that matched the description of the phones stolen from Radio Shack, as well as 12 others along the side of the highway. Police believe these were thrown from the Jeep.
The 80 phones are being held at the Monroe Police Department as evidence, Nolen said.