Chicago Men Sentenced to Prison for Armed Uber Robbery Witnessed by undercover Police
CHICAGO, IL – four men have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to eleven years for their roles in an armed robbery of an Uber driver that unfolded while Chicago police officers were observing nearby as part of a carjacking task force. the incident occurred on March 24, 2024, near Ohio Street and harding Avenue.
the group – Renard McGee, 19, of DeKalb; Lawrence Norwood, 19, of chicago; Omari Gunn, 20, of Chicago; and Jaquan Martin, 21, of Chicago – confronted a 27-year-old Uber driver at approximately 7:00 a.m., stealing his wallet and phones. Authorities say the offenders were armed with three firearms, including an AK-47. A 17-year-old male was also charged in juvenile court.
Undercover officers assigned to the city’s carjacking task force witnessed the robbery and immediately alerted dispatch. A pursuit ensued, involving multiple undercover units, marked and unmarked patrol cars, and a CPD helicopter. The stolen vehicle, a dodge Charger reported stolen in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was eventually stopped in the 5000 block of West Quincy Street.
Suspects fled into a residence in the area, later identified as the home of Omari Gunn’s mother. With her permission, officers entered the home and apprehended six individuals. Gunn’s mother identified one person as uninvolved, leaving five to be arrested. mcgee was found hiding in a hallway closet, Norwood in the living room, Martin in a bedroom, and Gunn in a bedroom closet.
Prosecutors alleged Norwood possessed the AK-47 and that Gunn received a $250 CashApp payment from the victim shortly after the robbery.
Each of the men pleaded guilty to armed robbery. Sentencing occurred over several months: McGee pleaded guilty on August 1 and received an 11-year sentence; Norwood pleaded guilty on June 17 and was sentenced to eight years; Gunn pleaded guilty on March 17 and received a 10-year sentence; and Martin, the last to be sentenced, pleaded guilty on Friday and received a nine-year term.
As part of plea agreements, prosecutors dropped unrelated felony cases against McGee, Norwood, and Martin. Gunn had no other pending cases.
Under Illinois law, each man will serve approximately half of their sentence, with credit for good behavior.
