A Round Lake Beach woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison for committing an attempted robbery that led to a fatal shootout in the parking lot of Walmart in Waukegan.
Desteny Rodriguez, 21, of Round Lake Beach, was charged in February 2022 with four counts of armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery by discharging a firearm and three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
The Waukegan Police Department was called around 1:30 p.m. on February 19, 2022, to the Walmart Supercenter, 3900 Fountain Square Place.
Then-Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said the occupants of a white Dodge Durango and a black Nissan Altima agreed to meet at the Walmart.
The people involved intended to exchange or trade guns, Florip said.
Rodriguez and Emanuel Perez, 22, of Waukegan, were in the Dodge. The Nissan was occupied by two males in their 20s.
The group of four were in the parking lot during the meet-up when Rodriguez attempted to rob the two males in the Nissan, Florip said.
During the incident, shots were fired and both vehicles fled the area.
The Dodge, driven by Rodriguez, fled and crashed into other vehicles near Washington and Westwaukee Road in Waukegan.
Perez had been struck multiple times by the gunfire.
He was transported by the Waukegan Fire Department to an area hospital in serious condition and later died.
Rodriguez was taken into custody at the crash scene by patrol officers.
The Nissan that fled the Walmart parking lot drove to an area hospital.
One of the two men in the Nissan was struck by gunfire and sustained a superficial wound.
Detectives recovered two semi-automatic pistols and an assault-style weapon in the Dodge, Florip said.
Rodriguez was held in the Lake County Jail until February when she posted bond, jail records show.
Court records show she entered into a negotiated plea deal with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office on April 27.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to an amended count of attempted armed robbery in exchange for her charges being dismissed.
A judge approved the plea deal and sentenced Rodriguez to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
She will receive 360 days of credit for time served in jail.