Head of cellphone robbery crew sentenced to 57 years

CHICAGO (AP) - A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago-area man to 57 years behind bars for leading a crew of armed robbers that stole cellphones from multiple suburban stores in 2013.

Prosecutors say Eric Curtis led a spree of takeover-style robberies where they'd force workers and customers to back of stores at gunpoint. One government filing said victims could "suffer from the trauma" of the heists for as long as any sentence Curtis serves.

Jurors in Chicago convicted the 32-year-old from Park Forest last year on a range of counts, including conspiracy to commit robbery. A U.S. district judge sentenced Curtis Thursday. Seven other members of the crew have also pleaded guilty.

The robberies happened at stores in Addison, Norridge, Deerfield and Woodridge.