One of two men who fired shots at a victim during an online sale meetup that turned into an attempted robbery in Zion has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Levi J. Harris, 20, of Zion, was charged in January 2024 with aggravated discharge of a firearm, attempted armed robbery and three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
The Zion Police Department responded on July 19, 2023, to the Shamrock Motel, 1713 North Sheridan Road, for a report of shots fired.
Officers spoke to a victim involved who had fled the scene and went to his residence, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Manuel Mandujano.
The victim said he set up a meeting with a man, later identified as Braylin D. Harper, 20, through Facebook.
The victim intended to buy vape pens for $100 from the man in the parking lot of the motel.
Mandujano said the victim had approximately $650 in cash in plain view and gave $100 to Harper.
Harper said he would return with the vape pens and soon returned with Harris.
Harris and Harper demanded the rest of the victim’s money for the vape pens, Mandujano said.
One suspect brandished a gun and another held his hand on his waist as if he had a gun.
The victim drove away but returned to the motel to see where the offenders ran off.
Both suspects fired shots at the victim, who then fled the scene again, Mandujano said. Officers recovered spent shell casings.
Surveillance video captured the incident, including the shooting.
The Zion Police Department stopped and arrested Harris and Harper on August 19, 2023, exactly one month after the incident.
Harris was charged with multiple counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after officers found him with a handgun during the stop, court records show.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges a month later.
Harper was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, attempted armed robbery, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and several other charges in connection with the July 19, 2023, incident.
Further investigation was conducted into the July 19, 2023, incident and in January charges were also approved against Harris, who was arrested in February.
Harris was previously charged as a juvenile with armed robbery and convicted on a reduced charge of robbery, Mandujano said.
Court records show Harris, who has been held in the Lake County Jail since his arrest, entered into a negotiated plea deal with the state’s attorney’s office last month.
He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony, and the rest of his charges were dismissed.
Pursuant to the plea deal, Harris was sentenced to 180 days in jail, which he already completed due to having 183 days of credit for time served, and placed on 24 months of probation.
He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of public service, be on a curfew, not consume alcohol or drugs, and not possess any firearms.
Court records show the case against Harper is closed and he was sentenced to eight years in prison in December 2023.