SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A man found guilty of involvement in a 2018 Springfield shooting faces up to natural life in prison for the crime.
Springfield man Dwayne K. Taylor, 50, was convicted Wednesday night in Sangamon County on charges of aggravated battery with a firearm (Class X felony), being an armed habitual criminal (Class X felony) and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (Class 2 felony) by a Sangamon County jury. The trial lasted three days.
Taylor was involved in a May 1, 2018 shooting at 2070 Bradley Court. He was on parole when the shooting occurred. Before the trial, Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright said he filed a notice of intent to seek a mandatory natural life sentence pursuant to the Illinois Habitual Criminals statute.
Wright said Illinois law allows a state's attorney to seek adjudication of a defendant as a habitual criminal after they are convicted of a third Class X offense in a period of 20 years, without including any time in which the person was in custody. The person must also have been at least 21 upon commission of the first Class X or greater crime.
Taylor has an extensive criminal history, including the following:
- Robbery (Class 2 – 1990; Cook County)
- Armed Robbery (Class X – 1992; Cook County)
- Various drug convictions between 1996-2004 in Cook County
- Armed Robbery (Class X – 2005; Cook County)
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (Class 4 - 2016; Sangamon County)
Taylor has served sentences in the Department of Corrections before the 2018 shooting.
Wright said Taylor had made phone calls from the Sangamon County Jail requesting others "take steps on the outside to influence witnesses." The victim did not testify at trial.
“The defendant’s extensive history of forcible felonies, drug dealing and gun offenses has come to an end with the jury’s verdict and we are deeply grateful for their sacrifices of time and attention to decide this very important case," Wright said. "We will seek a mandatory natural life sentence as permitted under current Illinois law. Mr. Taylor is a perfect example of the critical need to preserve the ability of law enforcement to get violent criminals off the streets and behind bars where they cannot harm law-abiding citizens.”
A sentence of natural life behind bars is mandated by Illinois law upon adjudication as a habitual criminal, Wright said.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2022.
