Man sentenced to six years for car burglary

URBANA — An Urbana man who admitted breaking into a car in Urbana was sentenced Friday to six years in prison.

Champaign County Judge Heidi Ladd agreed to recommend Dominic Turner, 22, whose last known address was in the 1600 block of Ivanhoe Way, for the Department of Corrections' boot camp program.

Turner pleaded guilty to burglary, admitting that he broke in a car on Myra Ridge Court on Sept. 19 and stole a GPS, which police later found during a court-ordered search of his home.

Because of a prior conviction for burglary, Turner had to be sentenced to prison. Assistant State's Attorney Dan Clifton said Turner was on probation at the time of his arrest. Unrelated charges of burglary and resisting a peace officer were dismissed in return for his plea. Turner was also ordered to make $500 restitution.

In other cases resolved Friday before Ladd:

— Maximilian Kirsch, 22, who listed an address in the 600 block of East Green Street, Champaign, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual abuse, admitting that on Oct. 25, 2010, he fondled the breast of a neighbor. He was sentenced to 30 months of probation and three months in the county jail.

Other charges of home invasion, criminal sexual assault, and criminal trespass were dismissed in return for his plea. Assistant State's Attorney Adam Dill said Kirsch knew the three women who were living in the same apartment building as he was. Kirsch admitted he crawled into bed with one of the women, who was sleeping, and fondled her at a time when she was unable to consent.

Kirsch will also have to register as a sex offender.

— Shujaa Benson, 21, of the 200 block of East Chalmers Street, Champaign, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft, admitting he stole money from a room in Forbes Hall on Gregory Drive in Champaign on Aug. 25.

He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and a more serious charge of residential burglary was dismissed.

A week earlier, co-defendant Justin Boone, 20, who listed an address in the 500 block of East White Street, Champaign, pleaded guilty to burglary for a sentence of two months in the county jail and two years of probation. University of Illinois police found a camera, iPod and cash on him that UI police said had been stolen from a Forbes room.

— Emma Harris, 19, of Decatur, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft, admitting that in August 2010, she or someone whose conduct she was responsible for fraudulently obtained money from Busey Bank.

Clifton said Harris had an account at the bank and gave access to the account to someone who made fraudulent deposits and withdrawals.

Harris was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to make restitution to the bank of $6,574.92.

Other charges of financial institution fraud and disorderly conduct, the latter alleging she falsely reported the theft of her debit card, were dismissed in return for her plea.

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