Armed robber sentenced to 15 years for crimes in Elgin, South suburbs

A Chicago man was sentenced to 15 years Thursday for robbing suburban stores - including an Elgin T-Mobile store - at gunpoint.

Reginald Taylor "terrorized store employees by brandishing a handgun" and threatened to shoot them, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office in the Northern District of Illinois. The 53-year-old used shoelaces to restrain employees, the release said.

From three armed robberies, Taylor gained more than $54,000 in cash and hundreds of cellphones, the release said. Along with the Elgin T-Mobile robbery, Taylor admitted to robbing two Radio Shack stores, one in Frankfort and one in Palos Heights.

He was arrested in November 2012 in Oak Lawn after attempting to rob a Radio Shack and has been in custody since, according to the release. He pleaded guilty earlier this year.