A Chicago man has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for his role in a violent North Side bank robbery that was discovered after authorities followed a GPS tracker hidden inside the stolen cash.
According to court records, U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama sentenced Troy Luckett, 25, to 135 months in prison after pleading guilty to bank robbery by force and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. The lawsuit against his alleged accomplice, Kendall Sullivan, 23, is still pending.
The holdup took place around 10 a.m. on December 23, 2023, at Byline Bank, 7050 North Western Avenue. Prosecutors said Luckett and Sullivan entered the branch and separated along the teller counter. Sullivan pointed a loaded gun at a teller and demanded cash, as Luckett positioned himself nearby.
A quick-thinking teller inserted a GPS tracker inside one of the money stacks before handing it over.
When two customers entered the bank during the robbery, Luckett ordered them to lie on the floor at gunpoint, according to authorities. As they attempted to flee, Luckett allegedly pursued them, grabbed one by the collar, and hauled them back inside.
Within minutes, police began following the GPS signal and discovered two vehicles that were going in tandem. One driver attempted to impede the officers, presumably to allow the lead vehicle to flee. When the cars split, authorities apprehended Sullivan after a foot pursuit and seized $9,433, the same amount stolen from the bank, as well as two loaded handguns from a discarded jacket, prosecutors said.
Luckett first denied involvement, telling detectives that he was in the area for a Grindr hookup. However, authorities apparently discovered Luckett’s phone inside the bank, making it improbable that he was using the dating app.
Investigators later discovered two handgun cases in Luckett’s truck with serial numbers matching the pistols recovered from Sullivan’s jacket.
Luckett’s punishment is nearly 11 years and three months in prison, followed by supervised release. The defense sought a ten-year sentence, claiming that Sullivan orchestrated the robbery. Prosecutors sought for 15 years, stressing the severity of the holdup and the risk to clients and employees.
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