Aurora man gets 17 years in prison

One of two men charged in a fatal shooting nearly two years ago during an Aurora drug deal pleaded guilty Thursday to armed robbery.

Antonio L. Clark, 22, of Aurora, was sentenced to 17 years in prison as part of a deal with prosecutors. The agreement calls for Clark to testify against co-defendant Michael A. Costner Jr. of Chicago, who still faces first-degree murder charges in connection with the August 2009 shooting.

Before Clark submitted his guilty plea, DuPage County prosecutors outlined the case against him and Costner. They said both men met Gregory L. Riley, 36, on the night of Aug. 26, 2009, under the guise of buying the drugs from him. It was during that transaction authorities believe Riley was killed.

When Aurora police arrived at the scene, they found Riley lying in the road about 15 feet from his car on the 1100 block of Brunswick Lane in Aurora. Riley suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Officers arrested Clark and his older brother, Ivory S. Clark, just before midnight the night of the shooting after authorities stopped the car the suspects were riding in for alleged traffic violations. Police said they smelled cannabis coming from inside the vehicle and, upon a search, recovered about three pounds of marijuana under the hood and a small amount inside the passenger compartment.

Police later arrested Costner at his home.

Prosecutors initially approved armed robbery charges against Antonio Clark and Costner. A grand jury indicted both men on murder charges in December 2009.

Costner is being held on a $1 million bond in DuPage County jail. He is awaiting trial.