Second man sentenced in 2022 Lombard robbery

The second of two Chicago men charged with a robbery last June in Lombard was sentenced to 23 years in prison Friday, officials said.

Lennell Owens, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of armed violence in March, according to a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. Co-defendant Reginald Allen, 54, was sentenced to 16 years in March. Owens and Allen have been held without bail since June 14, 2022.

Allen and Owens went to 7-Eleven, 801 S. Westmore-Meyers Road, around 6:45 p.m. June 11, the news release stated. Allen demanded money from the cashier; Owens went to the back of the store with another worker and took the employee's cellphone and cartons of cigarettes. Both men then left the store and drove away in a Jeep Wrangler, heading south on Westmore-Meyers Road.

Police saw the Jeep leaving a parking lot on Roosevelt Road, and Lombard officers attempted to make a traffic stop, however, Owens - who was driving - drove away on I-355, reaching up to 114 mph, the release said. The Lombard officers stopped the pursuit due to safety concerns.

With help from Illinois State Police and a Chicago Police Department helicopter, the Wrangler was spotted again near I-290 and Route 83, according to the release. The Wrangler exited I-290 at 17th Avenue in Maywood and, eventually, crashed into a tree on 74th Avenue in Elmwood Park.

Allen, Owens, and an unidentified passenger were taken into custody; officers searched the car and found a loaded Glock 10 mm handgun, 33 cartons of cigarettes, and about $200 cash.