21-year prison term for man who went on robbery spree with 14- and 15-year-old boys

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Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Spree

A man named Marion Cotton, aged 21, has been handed a 21-year prison sentence for his involvement in a series of armed robberies across the South Loop, West Loop, and Near West Side areas. Cotton pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery with a firearm in a deal that saw Judge Angela Munari-Petrone deliver the sentence. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped two additional robbery cases against him.

Authorities revealed that Cotton, along with another 21-year-old named Jamar McKay, collaborated with two juvenile accomplices aged 14 and 15, known as the “Kia Boys,” to carry out a string of armed robberies. The crime spree involved as many as 12 incidents before culminating in a crash on the Eisenhower Expressway, where they attempted to evade capture by Illinois State Police troopers and Chicago police officers in July 2023.

The robbery spree began with the theft of property from two tourists in the 1100 block of West Chicago Avenue at around 2:30 a.m. The victims, a 39-year-old man and his 41-year-old female companion, were accosted by Cotton and McKay, who both wielded handguns and assaulted the woman by striking her in the head, as per state criminal complaints.

Marion Cotton (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)

Subsequent robberies took place at various locations, including the 600 block of West Cabrini Street, the 1100 block of South Canal Street, the 1100 block of West Taylor Street, the 2400 block of South Canal Street, the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, and the 2500 block of South Halsted Street.

Following a robbery on Milwaukee Avenue, a state trooper identified the stolen Kia, which had been linked to the crime spree by Chicago police. The vehicle attempted to flee but crashed on the Eisenhower Expressway near Morgan Street. McKay and Cotton fled the scene, crossing multiple lanes of traffic and running along CTA tracks before eventually surrendering to authorities. The stolen Kia exhibited signs consistent with the “Kia Boy” theft method, including a broken rear passenger window and being operated with a USB plug in the ignition.

The 14-year-old accomplice was charged with 12 counts of armed robbery with a firearm, while details regarding the charges against the 15-year-old were not disclosed. McKay, who faced charges alongside Cotton and the juveniles, is set to appear in court on June 3 to address his involvement in the four robbery cases.