URBANA — A St. Anne man who admitted breaking into cars in Champaign late last summer has been sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison.

Dangelo McCurry, 26, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of burglary, admitting that on Sept. 11, he entered several vehicles at the Baytowne Apartment complex and stole several small items, including a necklace, lighters, change and cigarettes.

Because of prior convictions for burglary, McCurry had to be sentenced as a Class X felon, said Assistant State's Attorney Duke Harris.

Judge Tom Difanis imposed the sentence Monday on McCurry.

In unrelated cases before Difanis on Monday:

— Christian Cler, 22, whose last known address was in the 1000 block of West Stoughton Street, Urbana, was sentenced to five years in prison with a recommendation that he instead serve a sentence in boot camp.

Cler pleaded guilty in late March to possession of a stolen firearm and possession with intent to deliver cannabis.

University of Illinois police, acting on a tip, did a court-ordered search of Cler's apartment on Aug. 1 and found about an ounce of cannabis, $10,000 cash and a .45-caliber handgun.

Harris dismissed other charges of armed violence and unlawful use of weapons by a felon. Harris said Cler had prior convictions for theft.

— Christopher Gunn, 28, whose last known address was in the 1500 block of Kiler Drive, Champaign, was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison for unlawful use of weapons by a felon. He admitted that on Sept. 10, he possessed a sawed-off shotgun that Champaign police found when they responded to a domestic dispute on King's Way Drive, Harris said.

Because of prior convictions — Gunn was on parole for aggravated robbery and attempted aggravated robbery at the time of his arrest — he is not allowed to possess a weapon.