Illinois Father, Robert Crimo Jr. Jailed for Assisting Son in Obtaining Weapons in Fourth of July Mass Shooting Case

The father of an individual responsible for a Fourth of July mass shooting, resulting in the deaths of seven people and injuries to many others, has been sentenced to jail time for assisting his son in obtaining the necessary permit to purchase assault weapons used in the tragic incident.

Robert Crimo Jr., previously facing felony charges, entered a guilty plea to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct in Illinois, leading to an agreement for 60 days in Lake County Jail and two years on probation. 

Notably, Crimo Jr. aided his son, Robert Crimo III, in acquiring a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card in 2019, a crucial prerequisite for firearm ownership in the state. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart emphasized the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the jeopardy posed to countless lives when Crimo Jr. sponsored his son's FOID application.

Rinehart underscored the significance of this case, highlighting a departure from the previous trend of holding parents of young adult perpetrators unaccountable. 

The prosecutor expressed the hope that such legal actions would set a precedent for other jurisdictions to pursue similar prosecutions, emphasizing the message of accountability and justice it sends to the community and the families of the victims. 

While Crimo Jr. will not be required to testify at his son's upcoming trial, the date for the trial has yet to be determined.

The prosecution revealed that Crimo Jr. was aware of his son's history of violent ideation, including attempted self-harm and threats of violence. 

This case is part of a small but growing number of instances in which parents have been implicated in facilitating gun violence committed by their children, such as the cases of the parents of Ethan Crumbley in Michigan and the mother of the 6-year-old child in Virginia, both of whom faced legal repercussions for their involvement in the respective incidents.

 

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