North Aurora man pleads guilty to stealing Super Bowl ring
A North Aurora man has pleaded guilty to stealing a Super Bowl ring that belonged to Chicago Bears great Walter Payton from an Aurora restaurant.
James A. Graham, 31, who last resided in the 100 block of Monroe Street, Wednesday plead guilty to theft, possession of a controlled substance and to a probation violation for a conviction for aggravated battery. In exchange for the plea, he was sentenced to 30 months probation, with the possibility of being put in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center, depending on addiction evaluations. Failure to complete the program can result in prison time.
On March 27, 2006, Graham and co-defendant Jeremy J. Sherman, 19, of 3 Oak St., North Aurora, stole the replica Super Bowl ring and Pro Football Hall of Fame ring from Walter Payton's Roundhouse Complex, 205 N. Broadway Ave., Aurora, police said.
The rings were taken from the sports memorabilia museum at the restaurant.
The day following the theft, the rings showed up at a pawn shop in Chicago where an employee reported them to police. The rings are valued at $4,100.
Graham also pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing 4.46 grams of heroin on May 16, 2007. The drug possession offense violated terms of his probation from a May 11, 2006, conviction for an aggravated battery in April 2006 in North Aurora.
Sherman has pleaded not guilty. He next court date is Sept. 14.