4th teen involved in jewelry store robbery takes plea deal

A fourth teen involved in a smash and grab robbery at a jewelry store in Fort Gratiot has taken a plea deal.

Khalil Allen, 20, pleaded guilty to receiving and concealing stolen property $20,000 or more, receiving and concealing stolen property motor vehicle, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and third-degree fleeing police Monday during hearing before St. Clair County Circuit Judge Cynthia Lane. 

As part of his plea deal, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Soderberg said charges of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery will dismissed. 

Allen was referred to probation for the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which allows felonies to be erased from youthful offenders' records upon completion of probation.

At the hearing, Allen admitted to driving to Kay Jewelers in Fort Gratiot on July 9 with three other teens in a stolen 2015 Chevy Impala. He said he knew the other three teens, Jaison Evans, Lezzerio Garner, and Jaylon Conklin, intended to steal jewelry from the store.

Allen admitted the three teens entered the store while it was open for business and ordered the employees to get on the ground. The teens smashed the jewelry cases, stole more than $20,000 in jewelry and ran back to the vehicle which Allen was driving. 

Allen and the three other teens then fled the scene, driving in excess of 85 mph. 

"You were essentially the getaway driver?" Soderberg asked. 

"Yes," Allen said.

Allen then drove five miles with police in pursuit, crashed the vehicle in the area of Riverside Drive and Interstate 94 and fled on foot with two other teens from a uniformed police officer.

Conklin and Evans, both 17, pleaded guilty on Sept. 9 during a pretrial hearing to receiving and concealing $20,000 or more of stolen property, conspiracy receiving and concealing stolen property motor vehicle; assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, unarmed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed robbery.

Garner also pleaded guilty on Sept. 9 to receiving and concealing stolen property $20,000 or more and conspiracy receiving, concealing stolen property motor vehicle, unarmed robbery and conspiracy to commit unarmed robbery. 

They face up to 15 years in prison. 

Allen's sentencing hearing is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Nov. 25 in Lane's courtroom.

Garner, Conklin, and Evans are scheduled for a sentencing hearing at 2:05 p.m. Oct. 21.