Joliet Armed Robbery Defendant At Route 59 Gas Station Regains Freedom From This Will Co. Judge
JOLIET, IL — Devion Smith, a 28-year-old Joliet man who spent five weeks in the Will County Jail detained under the SAFE-T-Act following his armed robbery gas station arrest has been set free following a decision from the judge now presiding over his criminal case.
Will County Judge Amy Christiansen authorized armed robbery defendant Devion Smith's release on Oct. 23 after receiving letters of good character that were submitted on Smith's behalf. The letters have been sealed by the judge, so the public and press can't access them.
According to court files, Judge Christiansen signed an order for electronic monitoring, putting Smith on GPS monitoring and home confinement. The Joliet defendant is allowed to travel for work on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, court files show.
When Smith is not working, the judge's order noted, Smith will remain at home except for any medical treatment for himself or for the woman who is pregnant with Smith's child. He can also leave his house to attend religious services or to meet with his attorneys.
Judge Christiansen notified Smith he is forbidden from visiting any Circle K gas stations, Domino's Pizza or the woman who was the victim of his Joliet armed robbery, court files show.
"Defendant shall maintain absolute sobriety unless prescribed by a medical professional," Judge Christiansen's order noted.
Vehicle Forfeiture Complaint Filed Against Smith
One week after Smith's release from the Will County Jail, the Will County's State's Attorney's Office filed a vehicle forfeiture case against Smith, the owner of the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox that prosecutors say was used to commit two different Circle K gas station overnight armed robberies, one in Joliet and the other in Morris.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 13, at 1:48 a.m., Joliet police responded to the Circle K at 2249 Route 59 in the Plainfield area for an armed robbery. The female cashier told Joliet police that an unknown masked man entered her gas station wearing blue vinyl gloves.
Smith demanded she open the register while pointing his gun at her, stating he would kill her, the forfeiture noted. Smith took $148 cash after opening the cash register drawer himself and then he demanded the Circle K employee open up her safe, court documents note. Smith managed to obtain one plastic tube containing $100 from the safe, and "Smith continued to threaten and yell at the victim to retrieve more money," the complaint revealed; she managed to open a second register allowing Smith to take another $77 cash.
"After demanding the safe be opened again with no success, Smith calmly exited the store and walked to the side of the building. The victim then locked the door, hid behind the counter and contacted the police and her husband," court files reflect.
That same night, Joliet police learned that Morris police investigated an armed robbery at 2:48 a.m. at their Circle K gas station on North Division Street. The getaway vehicle was a black Chevrolet Equinox with no front or back license plates. In the Morris crime, the armed robber held a small handgun and demanded money from the clerk. Afterward, he left and drove off in the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox; assisting police agencies stopped the vehicle in Minooka and Smith was the only person inside, the forfeiture noted.
Channahon and Minooka police took him into custody, and a compact semi-automatic pistol was found under his driver's seat, lose cash totaling $462 was found in the passenger's seat and Smith had $36 with them at the time of his capture, prosecutors outlined.
Will County prosecutors are asking that a judge declare Smith's 2011 Chevrolet Equinox a forfeited police asset because it "was used in the commission of an armed robbery in that the vehicle was used to transport the subject and proceeds to and from the location of the armed robbery."
Although the forfeiture complaint does not mention it, New Lenox Patch previously reported that a Domino's in New Lenox was robbed at gunpoint that same night, with the suspect then hitting two other locations before being arrested in Minooka, police said.
Police were called just before 11 p.m. to the Domino's Pizza, 13150 W. Lincoln Highway, for an armed robbery. Employees told police a masked man with a handgun came into the store and demanded money. He made off with $500 in cash before fleeing on foot, police said.
The Joliet vehicle forfeiture is set for a hearing Dec. 3 at the Will County Courthouse. Smith comes from the 1600 block of Joliet's Shady Oak Lane, his jail logs show.
Related Patch coverage of Devion Smith:
