Three suspects attacked a juvenile and robbed him of his belongings during a gun purchase meet-up at a laundromat in Mundelein, prosecutors said.
The Mundelein Police Department responded on February 5 to the Mundelein Laundromat, 658 South Lake Street, for a report of a robbery.
A 17-year-old boy ran into the business asking for help and saying he had been beaten up, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Cannon.
The boy was bleeding from his head and an ambulance was called.
Cannon said the boy told officers he had been messaging someone on Instagram and they agreed to meet at the laundromat.
He arrived to find three masked people who attacked him by hitting him in the face multiple times.
Cannon said the offenders stole the juvenile’s backpack, which contained a gun, phone, phone charger, clothing and cash.
The suspects, who grabbed at their waistbands implying they were armed, fled the scene in a vehicle.
Investigators recovered social media records and identified Jair A. Rodriguez, 18, of Mundelein, as one of the suspects.
Cannon said Rodriguez planned with a juvenile to rob the victim during a gun buy meet-up.
Rodriguez recruited friends to assist in the robbery and also admitted in messages to committing the robbery, Cannon said.
Cannon said Rodriguez posted proceeds from the robbery online, including cash and the victim’s gun.
Rodriguez sent a video to the victim afterward taunting him that he had stolen his belongings, Cannon said, adding that Rodriguez also admitted he was armed during the robbery.
Cannon said that Rodriguez “sees this as a game” by taking pleasure in robbing people, carrying guns in public and being in a gang. He is also on juvenile probation for arson and numerous other convictions.
A grand jury on Wednesday indicted Rodriguez on charges of aggravated robbery, robbery, possession of a stolen firearm and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Rodriguez held in the Lake County Jail pending trial after prosecutors filed a petition to detain him.