CHICAGO, IL — Sedgwick Williams, 48, of Chicago, has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for his role in a series of violent armed kidnappings across the Chicago suburbs in 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Williams was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to kidnap and assault multiple victims in Naperville, Westchester, and an attempted kidnapping in South Holland. His sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso, reflects the gravity of the crimes, which involved impersonation of law enforcement, physical assaults, and extortion.
Details of the Crimes
- October 17, 2019 – Naperville:
Williams and accomplices posed as law enforcement to abduct a man outside his electronics store at gunpoint. The victim was handcuffed, kidnapped, and transported to Chicago, where he was beaten and extorted, while the store was burglarized. - November 16, 2019 – Westchester:
Disguised again as federal agents, the group kidnapped a resident outside his home. Once inside, they abducted three more individuals, forcing them into a basement at gunpoint and stealing cash and jewelry. - December 11, 2019 – South Holland:
A third kidnapping attempt was thwarted when the intended victim called 911, prompting a swift response by South Holland Police. Williams and his co-conspirators were arrested while fleeing the scene.
According to prosecutors, the crimes were not just coordinated, but “ruthlessly violent”. “Williams orchestrated a series of incredibly violent abductions and armed robberies throughout Chicago and the neighboring suburbs,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey and Kate McClelland wrote in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He and his co-conspirators threatened, restrained, beat, robbed, kidnapped, terrorized, and tortured people for personal gain.”
Other Defendants and Sentencing Dates:
- Tai Hon La, 35, of Beach Park, Ill. — Convicted, sentencing set for June 3, 2025
- Ivan Ayers, 37, of Chicago — Pleaded guilty, sentencing on June 10, 2025
- Jonathan Vargas, 38, of Chicago — Pleaded guilty to Naperville kidnapping, sentencing on June 5, 2025
The case was a joint effort led by the FBI Chicago Field Office, in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies including police departments in Naperville, Westchester, South Holland, and Chicago, as well as the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF.
This sentencing sends a clear message that violent, organized criminal activity—particularly that involving the impersonation of law enforcement—will be met with the full force of federal prosecution.
