49-time convicted felon gets 5 years for posing as a city inspector to scam Chicago businesses
November 25, 2023 9:08 AM
CHICAGO — Ronald Browning, accused of scamming Chicago businesses by posing as a city inspector while he was on parole for his 44th, 45th, and 46th felony convictions, is heading back to prison after pleading guilty to his 47th, 48th, and 49th felonies.
He has another case pending that, if he is found guilty, will be his 50th felony conviction.
Chicago police issued a community alert last December about a phony city inspector, a few months after Browning, 75, was paroled for running a similar scam. Cops in suburban Oak Lawn issued a similar bulletin.
Sporting a reflective vest, Browning entered a smoothie store in the 6400 block of North Sheridan on December 13, 2022, and identified himself as a city worker. He demanded payment for replacing three carbon monoxide detectors on the building’s roof, officials said.
He pretended to call the store’s manager on his phone, then told a store employee that the manager told him to get payment from the register. After the clerk handed over $80, he walked out the back door.
About ten minutes later, he walked into the UPS store next to the smoothie shop and once again demanded payment for replacing carbon monoxide detectors on the roof. The manager initially gave him $250 but then took it back after calling the store’s owner, who realized they were being scammed, prosecutors said.
Surveillance images from the two incidents were included in “multiple bulletins” about other incidents with similar details, leading to Browning’s identification, according to prosecutors.
Browning pleaded guilty to theft by deception in both Chicago cases and one suburban case before Judge James Obbish. The judge gave him five years for each city case plus two years for the suburban incident. Those sentences will be served concurrently. A fourth case, also from the suburbs, is still pending, according to clerk of court records.
After receiving a 50% sentence reduction for good behavior plus credit for time spent in jail since being arrested, Browning is expected to be paroled on June 2, 2025.
Browning has been sentenced to prison for felonies more than 40 times since 1982, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records. He has additional felony convictions in Indiana, prosecutors said.
His most recent trip to prison occurred on May 26, 2022, when he went to Stateville Correctional Center to serve two 5½-year sentences and one 1-year sentence for theft by deception. He went home the same day.
Before that, according to IDOC, Browning went to prison for:
- 5 years for theft from a school or church in 2019
- 8 years for burglary in 2017
- another 8 years for burglary in 2017
- three more 8-year sentences for burglary in 2017
- 3 years for theft by deception in 2017
- 2 years for theft in 2016
- two 2-year sentences for theft by deception in 2016
- 1 year for possession of a controlled substance in 2016
- 10 years for aiding or abetting possession of a stolen motor vehicle in 2010
- another 10 years for aiding or abetting possession of a stolen motor vehicle in 2010
- yet another 10 years for aiding or abetting possession of a stolen motor vehicle in 2010
- 10 years for theft by deception in 2004
- 6 years for theft in 2002
- 6 more years for another theft in 2002
- 2 years for theft in 2001
- 7 years for theft in 1998
- 3 years for theft in 1997
- 7 more 3-year sentences for theft in 1997
- 6 years for possessing a stolen motor vehicle in 1993
- 5 years for possessing a stolen motor vehicle in 1991
- 2 years for escape from a penal institution by a felon in 1987
- 4 years for possessing a stolen motor vehicle in 1987
- 30 months for theft in 1986
- 2 years for theft in 1986
- another 30 months for theft in 1986
- 30 months for retail theft in 1986
- 6 years for burglary in 1986
- 2 years for theft in 1985
- another 2 years for theft in 1985
- 2 years for theft in 1982
- another 2 years for theft in 1982
【累犯入獄】芝加哥詐騙重犯再獲刑入獄
NOVEMBER 25, 2023
(芝加哥時報快訊)一名芝加哥男子羅納德·布朗寧曾經被定罪49次，他因假冒芝加哥城市檢查員詐騙企業而再次入獄。他在獲得假釋期間，於2022年12月假裝要求商家支付更換一氧化碳探測器的費用。芝加哥及郊區警方發出多份警告通告，最終導致布朗寧被識別,他在芝加哥和郊區案件中均認罪，被法官判處五年徒刑，預計於2025年獲假釋。」
芝加哥警方表示,羅納德·布朗寧被指控以城市檢查員的身份詐騙芝加哥企業，當時他因第44、45和46次重罪定罪而獲得假釋，現在在認罪第47、48和49次重罪後，他將再次返回監獄, 如果他在另一起案件中被判有罪，這將是他的第50次重罪定罪。
芝加哥警方去年12月發出社區警報，提醒人們注意一名冒牌城市檢查員，就在布朗寧（75歲）因經營類似詐騙而獲得假釋幾個月後。奧克朗市郊警方發布了類似的通告。
布朗寧穿著反光背心，於2022年12月13日進入北雪里登街6400號區的一家冰沙店，自稱是城市工作人員。官員表示，他要求支付更換建築屋頂上三個一氧化碳探測器的費用。
他假裝在手機上給店經理打電話，然後告訴一名店員經理讓他從收銀機取款。收銀員交出80美元後，他從後門走出去。
羅納德·布朗寧走進冰沙店旁邊的UPS店，再次要求支付更換屋頂上一氧化碳探測器的費用。經理最初給了他250美元，但在打電話給店主後收回，店主意識到他們被詐騙了，檢察官說。
兩起事件的監控影像被列入“多份通告”中，這些通告中包含了類似的細節，這導致了布朗寧的身份被識別，檢察官表示。
布朗寧在芝加哥的兩個案件和一個郊區案件中均認罪詐欺盜竊，在詹姆斯·奧比什法官面前認罪。法官對每個城市案件判處他五年徒刑，再加上郊區事件的兩年徒刑。這些刑期將同時執行。另一起來自郊區的案件仍在進行中，根據法院書記官的記錄。
在因良好行為獲得50%的刑期減免，以及自被逮捕以來在監獄中度過的時間抵押後，布朗寧預計將於2025年6月2日獲得假釋。
根據伊利諾伊州矯正部門的記錄，自1982年以來，布朗寧已多次因重罪被判入獄。檢察官表示，他在印第安納州還有額外的重罪定罪。
他最近一次入獄是在2022年5月26日，當時他前往斯泰特維爾矯正中心，為詐欺盜竊服刑兩個5年半刑期和一個1年刑期。他當天就回家了。
在此之前，根據IDOC的資料，布朗寧入獄的原因包括：
- 2019年因從學校或教堂盜竊被判5年徒刑
- 2017年因入室盜竊被判8年徒刑
- 另一次2017年入室盜竊被判8年徒刑
- 2017年又因三次入室盜竊各被判8年徒刑
- 2017年因詐欺盜竊被判3年徒刑
- 2016年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 2016年因兩次詐欺盜竊各被判2年徒刑
- 2016年因持有管制物質被判1年徒刑
- 2010年因協助或教唆持有被盜汽車被判10年徒刑
- 另一次2010年協助或教唆持有被盜汽車被判10年徒刑
- 再一次2010年協助或教唆持有被盜汽車被判10年徒刑
- 2004年因詐欺盜竊被判10年徒刑
- 2002年因盜竊被判6年徒刑
- 另一次2002年盜竊被判6年徒刑
- 2001年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 1998年因盜竊被判7年徒刑
- 1997年因盜竊被判3年徒刑
- 另外1997年因七次盜竊各被判3年徒刑
- 1993年因持有被盜汽車被判6年徒刑
- 1991年因持有被盜汽車被判5年徒刑
- 1987年因重罪犯逃離刑事機構被判2年徒刑
- 1987年因持有被盜汽車被判4年徒刑
- 1986年因盜竊被判30個月徒刑
- 1986年另一次因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 再一次1986年因盜竊被判30個月徒刑
- 1986年因零售盜竊被判30個月徒刑
- 1986年因入室盜竊被判6年徒刑
- 1985年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 另一次1985年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 1982年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
- 另一次1982年因盜竊被判2年徒刑
发表回复