Urbana 18-year-old gets probation for acting as driver in online sale turned robbery

Apr. 19—URBANA — An Urbana 18-year-old has been sentenced to four years of probation for his role in an online sale turned robbery in January.

Champaign County Judge Matt Lee handed down the sentence Wednesday to Darrion W. Sargent after he pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated robbery.

Laying out the facts of the case, Assistant State's Attorney Dan Taylor said about 8:30 p.m. Jan. 11, a man showed up at an apartment complex in Champaign with $300 in cash to pay for a video-game console he had arranged to buy on Facebook Marketplace.

The man later told police that when he entered the building, he was confronted by two White men wearing ski masks who each pointed a handgun at him and stole his phone and wallet.

The offenders fled, but the man followed them to a nearby parking lot and saw them get into a silver Saturn sedan. He said he then followed the car until he heard two gunshots, Taylor said.

The Facebook account used for the transaction was deleted, but a Champaign detective noticed a new account had posted an ad offering a video-game console for $300 the next day.

Detectives responded to that ad and went to buy the console Jan. 12 at an address listed under one of Sargent's family members, Taylor said.

On arrival, police located and arrested Sargent, as well as Konner K. Baughman, 19, who was charged with armed robbery, attempted armed robbery and resisting a peace officer.

Sargent later admitted that he drove the two men to and from the apartment complex where the robbery took place, Assistant State's Attorney Chris McCallum said Wednesday.

Sargent faced one to 15 years in prison for aggravated robbery, a Class 1 felony. Baughman is scheduled to appear in court next week.