The final person involved in the shooting, beating and robbery of a gas station clerk in Marengo in 2021 has been found guilty at trial, authorities said.
Walter R. Moran, 32, of Cicero, was found guilty of Armed Robbery, Armed Violence, and Aggravated Battery following a week-long jury trial in McHenry County, McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announced Saturday.
During the trial, prosecutors presented witnesses and introduced hundreds of exhibits establishing a timeline that in the early morning hours of February 24, 2021, Moran and another masked offender carried out a violent armed robbery at a Circle-K in Marengo, Freese said.
At approximately 3:37 a.m., surveillance footage showed the offenders confronting the store’s lone employee, stealing money from the cash register, and demanding access to the store safe.
When the clerk was unable to open it, the offenders escalated their violence, Freese said.
Moran’s co-assailant pistol-whipped the victim, forced him to the ground, and held him at gunpoint while Moran then counted to three before shooting the victim in the thigh.
Realizing the victim could not comply, the offenders fled the scene and entered a waiting getaway vehicle driven by a third accomplice, Freese said.
Sentencing in the case is scheduled for July 23.
“What this man did was a deliberate, cold-blooded decision to shoot a compliant, defenseless victim who posed no threat whatsoever,” Freese said. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement and the commitment of our prosecution team, all individuals responsible for this crime have been brought to justice. While incidents like this are rare in McHenry County, we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our community and hold violent offenders fully accountable.”
Antonio Pedrote, 30, of Chicago, was charged in May of 2021 with armed robbery, three counts of armed violence, armed habitual criminal, burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, theft and six counts of aggravated battery.
Pedrote entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office to one Class X felony count of armed robbery in exchange for the dismissal of his other charges.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt accepted the plea deal and sentenced Pedrote to 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Gregory Garner Jr., 32, of Chicago, was also charged with armed robbery, armed violence, aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm, burglary and theft.
Garner pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Marengo Police Department Sgt. Andrew Kjellgren said at the time that officers found an adult victim, identified as Brian Pemble, suffering from a gunshot wound.
Pemble was treated at the scene by paramedics and flown to Javon Bea Hospital in Rockford, according to Marengo Fire Protection District Capt. Patrick Fanning.
The 35-year-old victim, an on-duty gas station clerk, was shot once in the leg during a robbery.
Kjellgren said the two suspects, Moran and Pedrote, entered the store armed with handguns and tried robbing the business.
Pedrote held the clerk at gunpoint while he got the contents of the register, according to a police bulletin.
He then ordered the clerk to open the safe and pistol-whipped the clerk on two occasions, the police bulletin said.
Moran was watching the door and then went behind the register and told the clerk he had “three seconds.”
Moran counted down and shot the clerk in the leg, police said.
Additional threats were made to the clerk and one of the suspects yelled “King, King,” referring to the Latin Kings gang, prosecutors said.
Both suspects left and got into a white van, driven by Garner, that was seen driving northbound on State Street.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Apprehension Unit and U.S. Marshals’ Great Lakes Task Force arrested Pedrote. Moran and Gregory were also later taken into custody.
Police said at the time that the suspects were linked to numerous other armed robberies throughout the Chicago area.
State’s Attorney Freese extends her gratitude to Detective Andrew Taylor of the Marengo Police Department for his investigative work on this case and at trial and applauds the collaborative efforts of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Investigations Unit, Harvard Police Department, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, and Aurora Police Department.
Freese also issued special thanks to Cook County Sheriff’s Investigator Evan Fermaint, Aurora Detective Jeff Koenings, and FBI Special Agent Jeremy Bauer of the Chicago Field Office Cellular Analysis Survey Team for their critical assistance.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Chief of Staff Ashley Romito, Special Prosecutor William Bruce, and Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Neubauer.