Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for His Role in Retail Store Robberies

ROCKFORD - A Rockford man has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for conspiring to commit robberies of electronic stores.

KATRAIL BRIDGES, 32, was convicted after a four-day jury trial in March of conspiracy to commit robbery. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston on Thursday sentenced Bridges to 87 months in federal prison.

Bridges joined the conspiracy and agreed to participate in the robberies of electronic stores at two locations: a Best Buy store in DeKalb, Ill. on Dec. 2, 2016, and a Simply Mac store in Cherry Valley, Ill. on December 16, 2016. During these robberies, the members of the group used pepper-spray against employees to gain compliance and to escape with merchandise. The group stole over $22,000 worth of merchandise during these two robberies.

Eight other alleged conspirators were charged as part of the federal investigation.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the FBI. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, Cherry Valley Police Department, and DeKalb Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirstin J. Krivanec.