A man previously convicted on 30 felony counts, including attempted murder and home invasion during a violent robbery in 1997, received a 25-year prison sentence on Thursday for a 2023 armed robbery in a River North parking garage. Prosecutors stated that he fired a gun at a fleeing victim.
Judge Kenneth Wadas of Cook County delivered the sentence to 55-year-old Mitchell Davis, nearly a year after finding him guilty in a bench trial where Davis chose to represent himself.
The incident traces back to a robbery just after midnight on April 21, 2023, at the parking garage located at 540 North State Street. Prosecutors reported that two men were waiting for an elevator when Davis, along with 34-year-old Duran Gladney and a third unidentified accomplice, emerged from a nearby stairwell armed with handguns. Davis aimed his weapon at one victim, a building resident, and rifled through his pockets, stealing three cell phones, over $1,000 in cash, and three key fobs, according to the prosecution.
Meanwhile, prosecutors indicated that Gladney aimed a gun equipped with a green laser sight at the second victim, prompting him to drop his groceries. The third offender struggled to load a drum magazine into his weapon, and during this distraction, the first victim pushed Davis and attempted to flee.
The victim had only managed to cover about seven feet before Davis fired a shot, which fortunately missed. Davis and Gladney pursued him through the garage, but the victim reached a parking attendant for help. The second victim sought refuge on an upper level of the garage and called 911.
Chicago police officers quickly secured the garage’s exits just as Gladney approached an exit in a getaway car with Davis in the back seat. Prosecutors revealed that officers recovered a handgun from beneath each seat occupied by the men. Investigators also found the first victim’s key fobs in the vehicle, and the third offender’s drum magazine was discovered on the garage floor, with live ammunition scattered nearby.
Prosecutors highlighted Davis’s extensive history of violent crimes. In 1997, he was convicted on 30 felony counts, including attempted murder and armed robbery, for forcing victims to the ground, demanding money, and shooting one during a confrontation. Davis reportedly committed another home invasion just ten months after being paroled.
Under Illinois law, Davis is eligible for day-for-day sentencing credit, which means he could serve half of his 25-year term with good behavior. Accounting for time already spent in Cook County jail, he has a little over nine years remaining.
Gladney, who pleaded guilty to armed robbery in December 2023, was sentenced by Judge Wadas to 10 years in prison, which may also be reduced for good behavior. Prosecutors noted that Gladney has six previous felony convictions, including two for weapons, as well as robbery and the manufacture or delivery of heroin. According to Illinois Department of Corrections records, his projected parole date is February 1, 2027.
