Robber sentenced to nine years

A judge sentenced an Arlington Heights man to nine years in prison for the armed robbery of a 46-year-old man who was stabbed in the face and neck during the attack.

Cornelius Holt, 34, of 4030 Bonhill Drive, pleaded guilty to robbing a man last May in an Arlington Heights apartment on the 2200 block of Nichols Road.

Before he was sentenced, Holt told Cook County Judge John Scotillo that he was "sorry it all happened," and that he was praying for his victim.

Holt was working with a woman, who met the man at a nearby bar, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Karen Crothers said.

She asked the man back to the Arlington Heights apartment where Holt was waiting.

Holt stabbed the man in the neck and face and took an unspecified amount of money. The man was taken to the hospital and later recovered from his injuries, Crothers said.

The woman has been tried and sentenced for her part in the crime, Crothers said.

Scotillo told Holt that he could have a jury trial, but Holt declined, allowing for Scotillo to determine his sentence.

The range of sentence for the crime was six to 20 years.

Holt had been charged with attempted murder as well, but because of his guilty plea, the prosecution dropped it, Crothers said.