Belleville Man Sentenced to 15 Plus Years in Prison for Convenience Store Robbery

In a shocking turn of events, a Belleville man has been sentenced to 188 months in prison for his role in a convenience store robbery. Patrick S. McGuire, 49, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced on May 11, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois for charges stemming from the robbery at Circle K Gas Station in Belleville.

According to evidence, McGuire entered the Circle K Gas Station with a plastic bag over his head and a plastic bag covering a pointed object in his hand and demanded money from the lone clerk in the early morning hours of July 25, 2014. McGuire got away with about $60 from the robbery.

McGuire’s luck, however, ran out when he committed the robbery just a week shy of his 14th felony conviction and over 30 misdemeanor convictions. ‘As I said when I initiated this program, we will not stop our aggressive prosecutions of these cases until this scourge of robberies abates,’ said United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton. ‘If you are thinking about this type of opportunistic crime, be warned – federal penalties are harsh. You will serve a long time far away from your family and friends.’

McGuire’s extensive criminal history did not sit well with Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel, who commented that McGuire’s record was ‘the most extensive criminal history I have seen.’ The judge also called the robbery ‘one of many brazen robberies in this area.’

In sentencing McGuire to over 15 years in prison, Judge Rosenstengel stated, ‘I don’t think I’ve seen a case where there’s a stronger need to protect the public.’

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Belleville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Reppert handled the prosecution. McGuire’s sentence serves as a warning to would-be robbers who think they can get away with easy money.

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