Guilty of armed violence, man faces at least 15 years

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man will spend at least the next 15 years in prison after a DeKalb County judge found him guilty of armed violence.

Deontaye L. Bradley, 27, formerly of the 200 block of Bent Grass Circle in DeKalb was convicted Oct. 9 by Chief Judge Robbin Stuckert, and will sentenced Dec. 5 to from 15 to 60 years in prison. He had waived his right to a jury trial, court records show.

Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Schwertley presented evidence to Stuckert that on April 29, 2017, Bradley was the passenger in a vehicle pulled over in the 800 block of West Hillcrest Drive – which is within 1,000 feet of Welsh Park, 651 Russell Road – for multiple traffic violations.

After a police K-9 smelled narcotics in the vehicle, a search uncovered
11 bags containing suspected Ecstasy, police said in court documents. Officers also found a loaded .40-caliber Springfield Armory XD handgun under Bradley's seat, according to a news release from the state's attorney's office.

“Guns and drugs are a dangerous combination, and their presence together in our community is why our office will continue to work with local law enforcement,” State’s Attorney Rick Amato said.

In addition to misdemeanors, Bradley has been convicted in DeKalb County of obstructing justice and battery in 2010, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison, residential burglary in 2012, for which he received another four-year sentence, and domestic battery in 2016, for which he was given a conditional discharge and was ordered to attend an anger management class.

Bradley has been in the DeKalb County Jail on $75,000 since his arrest.