Wounded Wauconda pharmacy robber gets 10 years

An Island Lake man who was shot during his second attempt at robbing the same Wauconda pharmacy was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday.

In addition to pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery, Guy Conti, 31, agreed to return to Arkansas to face additional robbery charges.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Eric Kalata said Conti entered Wauconda Pharmacy at Liberty and Main streets around 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 14. Wearing a ski mask and wielding a knife, Conti forced his way into the pharmacists’ area and demanded painkillers.

Employees grabbed Conti, but he broke free and was threatening them with a knife when one of the employees grabbed a handgun and shot Conti once in the abdomen.

The employee who shot Conti has a valid state Firearm Owner’s Identification card and was not charged as a result of the shooting.

Conti was hospitalized for about a week. He confessed to robbing the same pharmacy of painkillers while using a gun on Dec. 10 when police questioned him about the Feb. 14 attempt.

In Arkansas, Conti is charged with the Oct. 17 robbery of a pharmacy. Kalata said it will be up to officials in that state and at the Illinois Department of Corrections to decide when Conti is taken to Arkansas for trial.

Kalata said Conti could have faced up to 15 years in prison for each conviction.