Two others involved in the September 25 crime spree that included the shooting will be sentenced in a hearing April 7. Common Pleas Court Judge Carolyn Temin sentenced Christopher "Big Boy" Jones to 20 to 60 years in the state correctional institute for his role in a September crime spree near campus that culminated with the shooting of College senior Patrick Leroy. Jones pleaded guilty in February to 13 criminal counts, including the attempted murder of Leroy and five counts of first-degree robbery. The charges include his involvement in three separate incidents September 25 -- the Leroy armed robbery, the armed robbery of Penn Escort driver Luis Lopez and the robbery of a bar at 52nd and Girard streets. Christopher Crawford and Albert Bandy -- who were also involved in the crime spree -- will be sentenced together April 7. September 25, Crawford and Bandy approached Leroy, College senior Leonard Dunn and Wharton senior Cameron Reilly at 40th and Locust streets armed with semiautomatic weapons and demanded money. Crawford shot Leroy after the student refused to turn over any money and attempted to flee the scene. Jones waited in a car parked on 40th Street, where Crawford and Bandy fled after the shooting. Assistant District Attorney Jodi Lobel -- who is prosecuting the case -- urged Temin to give Jones the maximum mandatory sentence because of the seriousness of his crimes. "He understands what he did, your honor," she said, noting that "you can't justify this type of behavior -- people grow up in bad neighborhoods all the time and they don't rack up crimes like these in one night." Lobel added that Jones' crimes "disrupted" the University as well as the rest of the city, explaining that his actions have forced students to be more "pensive." "The University of Pennsylvania campus has been disrupted," Lobel said. "Students want to live peacefully." In a statement read before the court, Jones apologized to all the people that he "mentally hurt," adding that he had "hurt [himself] in many ways." Jones prayed to God for forgiveness and urged Temin to give him the chance to prevent others from making similar mistakes. Temin described Jones' involvement in "one of the most cold-blooded crimes I have ever seen" as "amazing" given his supportive family and good upbringing. University Detective Patricia Brennan speculated in February that Jones pleaded guilty in hopes of receiving a lesser sentence. But yesterday, Jones' family and friends reacted strongly to what they felt was an overly harsh sentence. Some went into hysterics and one woman referred to Temin as "that crazy woman." But Director of Special Services Susan Hawkins stressed that the sentence was appropriate. "He's in for 20 and on parole for 40," Hawkins said. "The real test will be on [Crawford and Bandy]." She added that the presence of University Police officers and the victims at each hearing showed Temin their commitment to seeing the case through. Jones, who had less involvement in the case than the others, turned himself in to Philadelphia Police officers October 17, after the arrests of Crawford and Bandy. Temin added that Jones has 10 days to appeal the sentence, but Hawkins said that successful appeals happen "not that often."
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