Chicago Man Sentenced to Prison on Attempted Robbery Charges
Despite ongoing warnings from law enforcement about the risks associated with meeting strangers online for transactions, criminals continue to exploit social media platforms to carry out robbery schemes. A recent incident in Chicago resulted in the arrest and subsequent sentencing of a 24-year-old man on his birthday.
Last summer, Chicago police, monitoring the 2900 block of West Warren Boulevard with a surveillance drone, apprehended a suspect in connection with a series of online marketplace robberies. The area had been flagged by CPD for a spike in robberies following a community alert issued in June 2024.
During the operation, a Braidwood man arrived at the location to purchase a motorized dirt bike advertised on Facebook Marketplace. Unbeknownst to him, the seller, identified as 22-year-old Lajuan Gaines from Carpentersville, was part of a robbery setup. Gaines, along with accomplice Davontae Harvey, attempted to rob the victim at gunpoint before being apprehended by law enforcement.
Prosecutors revealed that Gaines had been involved in several similar armed robberies prior to his arrest. Allegations of pistol-whipping and threats against male victims were raised, with cash and phones being stolen during the incidents. Gaines is currently disputing these claims.
Harvey, on the other hand, was charged solely for his involvement in the thwarted robbery monitored by CPD’s drone. The surveillance footage captured him attempting to flee the scene and change his appearance to evade capture. Both Gaines and Harvey were already on pretrial release for separate felony gun charges at the time of the incident.
Following his guilty plea, Harvey was sentenced to four years for the attempted robbery and an additional three consecutive years for the gun charge. With the possibility of early release for good behavior, he is expected to serve 3 ½ years in prison. Harvey began his sentence at the Stateville Correctional Center on his 24th birthday.
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