CHICAGO — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to nearly a decade in federal prison for an armed carjacking in West Town that triggered a dangerous high-speed police chase and crash in 2022, federal officials announced Thursday.
Allen Clay, who pleaded guilty to carjacking and using a firearm during a violent crime, was sentenced to 117 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Blakey.
The breakdown of the sentence includes:
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33 months for the carjacking
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84 months (served consecutively) for the firearm offense
Armed Carjacking Sparks Dangerous Pursuit
The incident unfolded on April 25, 2022, when Clay and his accomplice, Naronn Cain, were passengers in a vehicle on the city’s West Side. According to federal prosecutors, Cain became frustrated that their driver was “going too slow,” prompting them to stop near two people who had just parked a white 2011 Kia Optima in the 2600 block of West Division Street.
Clay allegedly pointed a loaded 9mm handgun at the driver and yelled, “Don’t move, n*****!” Meanwhile, Cain aimed a second firearm, and Clay ordered the female passenger to “Get the f*** out of the car,” court records show.
Tracked by AirPods, Captured After Crash
The two men sped off with the stolen Kia, but police were able to track the vehicle using the passenger’s Apple AirPods.
Illinois State Police pursued the vehicle at what prosecutors described as “incredibly high and dangerous speeds” until it crashed on the 87th Street overpass above the Dan Ryan Expressway. Clay and Cain were apprehended at a nearby gas station.
At the station, Cain reportedly told officers that the mother of his child threatened to block him from seeing his kids unless he arrived by a certain time — prompting his decision to commit the robbery.
Judge Calls Out History of Violence
In court filings, prosecutors acknowledged Clay’s troubled past, stating his life had been “marred by violence.” But they emphasized that his personal trauma had not stopped him from “inflicting violence on others for his own personal benefit.”
Clay’s attorney argued in a separate memo that the young man has potential for rehabilitation and can still become a “productive, law-abiding member of society.”
Restitution and Co-Defendant’s Sentence
Judge Blakey previously sentenced Naronn Cain to 10 years and 5 months in prison for his role in the crime. Both Clay and Cain have also been ordered to pay $4,325 in restitution to the victims of the carjacking.
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