Suburban crime spree earns Elgin man 16 years

Trevor Russell is only 18, but he's left a lot of victims in his wake.

Indicted on charges of home invasion, aggravated battery, residential burglary and burglary in 10 separate incidents that occurred between March and May 2008 in Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Streamwood, the Elgin man pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Rolling Meadows courtroom and was sentenced to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. His conviction on a class X felony means Russell, who received credit for the 269 days he has spent in jail since his arrest, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence.

Sometimes Russell worked alone, breaking into Subway restaurants and stealing money from the registers, said Cook County prosecutors. Other times, he teamed up with 41-year-old Danny Suddoth, of the 2200 block of Walnut in Hanover Park, 40-year-old Mark Sharks, of the 1000 block of Ashton Court in Streamwood, and 42-year-old Steven Anderson, of the 2000 block of Walnut in Hanover Park, to steal money, jewelry, electronic equipment and video games.

Russell, whose last address was on the 1200 block of Tannery Ridge in Elgin, served as the lookout during a May 2008 home invasion in which prosecutors say the defendants broke into the Elk Grove Village residence of a 51-year-old man. The men bound the victim's hands and legs, covered him with a blanket and beat him, cracking several ribs. The defendants then stole the victim's Wii game, wallet, cell phone and other valuables, prosecutors said. Several weeks earlier, prosecutors say Russell and Suddoth approached a Schaumburg man as he cleaned his motorcycle in his garage. They kicked and punched the victim, then dragged him into the residence. He escaped to a neighbor's house and called the police, but not before Russell and Suddoth made off with his laptop, money and a camera.

"This is quite a crime wave," said Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta after Assistant State's Attorney Mike Andre concluded his lengthy recitation of Russell's crimes. "You've left a lot of victims."

Russell apologized to the court after Fecarotta handed down his sentence. The cases against his co-defendants continue. Shark next appears in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109 on Feb. 17. Anderson follows on March 9. Suddoth's next court date is Feb. 20 at the Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.