by Chicago, IL – A 59-year-old man with a criminal record spanning four decades is heading back to prison after committing a pair of burglaries less than 48 hours after being released from custody, according to prosecutors.
Habitual Offender Sentenced Again
Vance Patton, a longtime Chicago resident, was sentenced to six years in state prison after pleading guilty to five burglaries, including two that occurred on March 22, just two days after his release from Graham Correctional Center.
Cook County Judge Terry Gallagher handed down the concurrent sentences Monday, resulting in an effective six-year prison term. Under Illinois’ day-for-day credit system, Patton will be eligible for parole on March 17, 2028.
Two Break-Ins in One Night
Prosecutors said Patton’s post-release crime spree began when he smashed a window at a storage business near 1900 West 95th Street, stealing just one dollar from the register. Moments later, he crossed the street to Flippin Flavors, where he broke in again and stole five cans of soda.
Officers soon arrested him nearby on burglary charges.
The back-to-back crimes, prosecutors said, capped a decades-long pattern of repeat offenses dating back to the 1980s.
25 Prison Sentences on Record
According to Illinois Department of Corrections records, Patton has been sentenced to prison 25 times, including 20 burglary convictions and additional cases for vehicle theft and criminal damage to property.
“This is not a new pattern for Patton,” a court summary noted, highlighting his history of immediate reoffending after previous releases.
Read Also: Authorities: Man Punished Children by Forcing Them to Stand and Threatened to ‘Slaughter’ Them
In one case, a 2011 Illinois Appellate Court decision detailed that Patton committed another burglary just six days after his December 20, 2007 release from prison. He was arrested the following day and later sentenced again.
Pattern of Repeat Crimes
Court documents show that Patton was released from Graham Correctional Center on March 20, 2024, where he had been serving time for yet another burglary.
Within two days, business owners in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood discovered broken glass and missing merchandise, leading investigators directly to Patton.
Authorities said Patton has spent most of his adult life behind bars, cycling through Cook County Jail and multiple Illinois state prisons.
Despite his long record, prosecutors noted that the low monetary value of his most recent thefts limited the charges to Class 2 felonies, which carry lighter penalties than more severe property crimes.
For more updates on this story and other Illinois crime news, share your thoughts at mikeandjonpodcast.com.
