By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


Sentencing has been handed down to a Grand Rapids teen for breaking into a big box store last year and leading police on a chase into Livingston County.

18-year-old Kquazay Vinson of Grand Rapids pleaded guilty last month in Livingston County Circuit Court to three counts of resisting and obstructing police. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to recommend that Vinson be sentenced to time served with no probation. Last week he was sentenced to two days already served.

The incident began on January 13th of 2020 when he and a co-defendant, 18-year-old Jamone Carter of Kentwood, broke into the Target store in Fenton and led police on a chase into Livingston County on US-23. It ended just south of M-59, where Carter, Vinson and a 16-year-old fled on foot. The subsequent manhunt, which involved both K9 units and drones, took several hours before all three were taken into custody.

Carter previously pleaded guilty to two counts of resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to 144 days in jail.

Authorities say all are members of a Grand Rapids group called the "Young Money Gang" which is responsible for nearly a dozen similar robberies, including the smash and grab robbery of the Brighton Target store in December of 2019.

Vinson also entered a plea to a breaking and entering charge in Genesee County and will be sentenced on that charge on September 7th.