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A Chicago man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to carjack a woman’s car from a Downers Grove gas station in September 2021.
Demario Butler, 31, appeared at his sentencing March 16 in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh, who handed down the sentence. On Jan. 18, Butler entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of attempt aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.
About 1:19 p.m. Sept. 30, 2021, Downers Grove police responded to a call of an armed robbery and attempted vehicular hijacking that had occurred at the BP gas station at 4314 Main St.
An investigation into the matter found that the victim was at the gas station when two people approached her. Butler was on the driver’s side of the vehicle and a second individual, alleged to be 24-year-old Pierre Baugh, also from Chicago, was on the passenger side of the vehicle. Butler demanded the victim’s car keys and cellphone while holding a black handgun next to his face with the barrel pointed upward, according to the release.
The victim handed her cellphone to Butler and then ran toward the gas station mini-mart. Butler entered the driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle but soon exited the vehicle as he was unable to start it. Both Butler and Baugh allegedly fled the scene. Through their investigation, authorities identified Butler and Baugh as suspects in the crime. On Oct. 22, 2021, Butler was taken into custody from his home, according to the release.
“Violent crime that terrorizes our communities will be met with the full force of the law,” DuPage County Sate’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “No one should have to look over their shoulder in the middle of the afternoon wondering if they’re next. Judge O’Hallaren Walsh’s sentence today sends the message that in DuPage County, violent crimes have serious consequences and anyone who would consider committing such a crime here should think twice.”