Case closed: Judge sentences James Gill to nine years in prison for armed robberies

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee County judge sentenced 21-year-old James Gill on Monday, July 27th to nine years in prison and another seven years of extended supervision. This, after he pleaded guilty in February to two counts of armed robbery as party to a crime. Two additional counts were dismissed.

Gill was charged in connection with four separate armed robberies that occurred in May 2014. A second individual charged in this case — 25-year-old Norman Smith III pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery as party to a crime. Smith was sentenced in March -- also to nine years in prison.

According to a criminal complaint filed against them, Gill and Smith were involved in one armed robbery on May 25th and three armed robberies on May 28th in 2014.

On May 25th, police say Gill and Smith approached two women near W. Hampton Avenue and N. 49th Street with a handgun and demanded property.The men obtained purses and  phones from the women before fleeing the scene on foot.

Through a photo array, both victims were able to identify Gill as the man with the gun that demanded property. Through another photo array, one of the victims was able to identify Smith as the second suspect that demanded property.

The second armed robbery occurred on May 28th in the parking lot of a Walmart in the Village of West Milwaukee.

Police say Gill and Smith approached a woman as she was exiting her vehicle and demanded property. Gill, who was the passenger in the vehicle Smith was driving, allegedly approached the victim, pointed a gun at her stomach and stated, “Where’s your money? Where’s your purse? Give me everything you have.”

The victim gave Gill her cell phone and then begged him to let her get her baby out of the car, police say.

Following the robbery, Gill ran back to the vehicle and both suspects fled the scene.

The third armed robbery also took place in the parking lot of a Walmart. This time, police say Gill and Smith approached a woman exiting her vehicle at the Walmart on 27th Street in Franklin, saying “Don’t do anything. Get in the car. Don’t say anything.”

The victim told police that she pushed her purse at Gill and then began to walk toward a security officer. Once the victim reached the security vehicle she saw Gill get into her vehicle and drive away.

Gill eventually abandoned the victim’s SUV and took approximately $50, according to police.

The suspects are also accused of robbing a woman who was walking in an alley near Burleigh and Holton. Police say Gill and Smith spotted the woman walking in the rear alley to her residence with a “long case” and decided to rob her.

Court documents show Gill approached the woman and said, “give me all your stuff” and pointed a silver semi-automatic handgun at her knees.Gill then grabbed the victim’s custom longbow, which was in a carrying case. At that time, the victim began to beg Gill not to take her belongings. While begging Gill, the victim observed the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Smith, tell Gill to “just shoot her and take it.”

Gill then grabbed the bow and pushed the victim to the ground, according to police. Gill told authorities that after he took the case, he got back into the car and they drove to a gas station.