Streamwood man sent to prison for life as a habitual offender
A Streamwood man who has spent much of his adult life incarcerated and was convicted last month of being an armed habitual criminal was sentenced Monday to life in prison.
James Utley, 37, thanked the court and his attorney, Glenn Jazwiec, but otherwise said nothing as Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta imposed the sentence, which was mandated by Utley's criminal background that includes three Class X convictions within 20 years.
"The court takes no pleasure in sentencing the defendant to natural life in prison, but the sentence is mandated by statute," Fecarotta said.
Utley's latest conviction came May 6, when jurors found him guilty of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon. They also found Utley to be a habitual criminal.
The charges stemmed from his February 2014 arrest by Streamwood police and state parole agents who went to Utley's Fulton Drive home to arrest him on a parole violation.
Officers recovered 27.6 grams of heroin, 78.7 grams of cocaine, digital scales, small plastic bags, a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a .38-caliber revolver and more than 150 rounds of ammunition from the home. It was "everything he needed to be a drug dealer," Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Piper said during closing arguments, adding Utley's "intent was crystal clear."
Free on bond at the time of his trial, Utley fled during jury deliberations and was not present at the time of the verdict. He was arrested a day later in Bartlett by Cook County sheriff's police.
That arrest happened without incident, Cook County sheriff's officer Bruce Steinke said during Utley's sentencing hearing Monday.
Steinke testified Utley told officers he surrendered peacefully because his family was inside the home. If police had located him elsewhere, Utley told them "he would have tried to take several of us with him," Steinke said.
Utley received a 15-year sentence in 2000 for aggravated battery with a firearm. He was sentenced to 16 years in 2005 for delivery of a controlled substance, said Assistant State's Attorney Michael Crowe.
His background includes a four-year prison sentence in 1996 for a hate crime and a five-year sentence in 1995 for illegally possessing a firearm. Utley also has convictions for harassment of a witness and domestic battery, authorities said.
Jazwiec said he understands the law requires his client serve life without parole, but "I don't believe the punishment fits the crime," he said.