Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Red Line Robberies with Kitchen Knives
A 29-year-old man, Charles Lawson, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for committing armed robberies on the Red Line while wielding large kitchen knives that he had stolen from a Target store in downtown Chicago.
Lawson pleaded guilty to armed robbery in connection with the December 2022 incidents. Prosecutors revealed that Lawson had stolen chef’s knives from a Target store located at 1 South State Street before boarding the Red Line train around 10:45 a.m. Lawson then sat next to a passenger and proceeded to carve on a plexiglass divider with the knives.
During the robbery spree, Lawson approached two women on the train, brandishing the knives and threatening them by asking, “Do you want to die today?” A brave man on the train intervened, stating, “Nobody wants to die today,” which prompted Lawson to shift his focus to the man and follow him into another train car. In that car, Lawson demanded the man’s belongings while holding two knives. He even pulled out a third knife and proceeded to steal the victim’s wallet, backpack, phone, and other items.
Lawson exited the train at the next station, but witnesses alerted the police, who then located him in a high-rise building on the 500 block of North Michigan Avenue. Chicago police conducted a search and found Lawson on the 24th floor holding a large knife. They also recovered two more knives and the stolen property of the victim.
Judge Michael Hood imposed a 10-year sentence on Lawson, which may be halved for good behavior. Lawson was credited for the 1,011 days he spent in county jail awaiting trial. His expected parole date is December 1, 2027.
