Court Grants State’s Motion to Deny Pre-Trial Release for Two Chicago Men Charged with Armed Robbery at Addison Gas Station

Willie Carter, 24 (d.o.b. 1/14/2000) of the 8300 block of S. Aberdeen Street and Anton Stephens, 24 (d.o.b. 11/1/1999) of the 1200 block of S. Spaulding Avenue, each appeared at First Appearance Court this morning charged with two counts of Armed Robbery with a Firearm (Class X Felony) and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony). In addition, Stephens is facing one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer (Class 4 Felony).

IT IS FURTHER ALLEGED THAT AFTER ROBBERY, DEFENDANTS LED POLICE ON 100-MPH HIGH SPEED PURSUIT.

ADDISON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Addison Chief of Police Roy Selvik announced today that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for two Chicago men accused of robbing an Addison gas station at gunpoint. Willie Carter, 24 (d.o.b. 1/14/2000) of the 8300 block of S. Aberdeen Street and Anton Stephens, 24 (d.o.b. 11/1/1999) of the 1200 block of S. Spaulding Avenue, each appeared at First Appearance Court this morning charged with two counts of Armed Robbery with a Firearm (Class X Felony) and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 2 Felony). In addition, Stephens is facing one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer (Class 4 Felony).

It is alleged that on January 30, 2024, at approximately 11:50 p.m., a Villa Park police officer observed a vehicle that was suspected of being involved in an armed robbery at a Villa Park gas station earlier this month traveling westbound on I-290 into DuPage County. As the officer continued surveillance, it is alleged that the vehicle exited I-290 heading westbound on Lake Street into Addison and backed into a parking spot near the front door of the Speedway gas station located at 701 E. Lake Street in Addison. It is alleged that two males, later identified as Carter and Stephens, exited the vehicle and entered the gas station store. It is further alleged that once in the store, one of the defendants began putting cigarettes in a garbage bag while the other pressed a gun to the side of a female clerk and ordered her to open the cash register, which she was unable to do as the register was in the process of rebooting. It is alleged that at one point, a male customer entered the store while the robbery was in progress and that one of the defendants pointed a gun at his head and told him to get on the floor, which he did. It is alleged that one of the defendants then stole the man’s wallet. It is alleged that Carter and Stephens then exited the store with one of the men carrying the bag of cigarettes and fled the scene in their vehicle eastbound on Lake Street. It is further alleged that a Villa Park Police officer deployed spike strips in the eastbound lanes of Lake Street which the defendants avoided by driving east in the westbound lanes of Lake Street. It is further alleged that a high-speed pursuit ensued as the defendants fled. It is alleged that the pursuit, which at times was in excess of 100 mph, involved approximately twenty police vehicles from multiple jurisdictions along multiple roads including Lake Street, Route 83, Westbound I-290, I-355, Army Trail Road, eastbound I-290, 25th Avenue and Gardner Road. During the pursuit, spike strips were successfully deployed on I-290 at Mannheim Road which ended the pursuit near the intersection of Gardner Road and Gladstone Street when the defendants’ vehicle crashed into a marked police car. It is alleged that the men then both fled on foot only to be taken into custody within blocks of the crash. When searching the defendants’ vehicle, officers allegedly recovered a loaded Glock 22 pistol with an extended magazine.

“In DuPage County, we will not sit idly by and allow the type of violent gun crime such as is alleged against Mr. Carter and Mr. Stephens to occur,” Berlin said. “I cannot overstate the seriousness of the charges against these two men. After allegedly robbing a gas station at gunpoint, the defendants then allegedly led approximately twenty police cars on an extremely dangerous high-speed chase. We are all thankful that no innocent motorists or the victims at the gas station were physically harmed as a result of the defendants’ alleged actions. I commend the Addison and Villa Park Police Departments and all the officers involved in this incident for their swift response as well as the Elmhurst, Bensenville, Berkeley, Hillside, Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Westchester, West Chicago and Northlake Police Departments for their assistance in taking Mr. Carter and Mr. Stephens into custody. I thank the Department of Homeland Security and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office for air support as well as the Addison Consolidated Dispatch Center for their assistance. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorney Kristin Sullivan, Denis Cahill and Andrew Poncer for their efforts in preparing a strong case against the two defendants.”

“We are grateful for the assistance of the Villa Park Police Department and several other agencies who took part in apprehending this violent crew, and especially for the support of State's Attorney Bob Berlin,” Selvik said. “Our detectives did a tremendous job coordinating with several jurisdictions to take these heavily armed individuals off the streets, and we thank everyone involved for their efforts.”

The next court appearance for both men is scheduled for February 26, 2024, for arraignment in front of Judge Brian Telander. If found guilty, Stephens faces a penalty of up to forty-five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections while Carter faces a penalty of up to sixty years due to his history.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendants’ guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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