Man faces 57 years to life in suburban cellphone store robberies

A Park Forest man faces up to life in prison after being convicted in federal Thursday of leading a crew of armed robbers that targeted suburban cellphone stores.

Eric Curtis, 31, was charged in a series of 2013 robberies at cellphone stores in Addison, Norridge, Deerfield and Woodridge.

After a two-week trial, a jury convicted Curtis of one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, three counts of robbery, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and three counts of using a firearm in a crime of violence.

Authorities said Curtis led an armed crew that stole hundreds of cellphones after holding store employees and customers at gunpoint.

The crew would enter a store, brandish firearms and order employees and customers to the back of the store, prosecutors said, then would stuff the cellphones into duffel bags.

Curtis would then help sell the phones, dividing the profits among the crew members, authorities said.

Curtis is scheduled to be scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 4; he faces 57 years to life in prison.