Four charged in drug robbery at St. Charles park

Three St. Charles men and a juvenile from Geneva have been charged in a drug-related robbery this fall at Primrose Farm Park, police said Thursday.

Authorities said the suspects arranged a “small cannabis transaction” Sept. 17 at the St. Charles Township park at Bolcum and Crane roads, then robbed the seller of marijuana by either displaying a gun or indicating they had one.

No shots were fired, and no one was hurt.

Kane County prosecutors this week authorized charges of aggravated robbery, a Class 4 felony, against each of the suspects. They were identified as Alex E. Martin, 19, of the 1700 block of Forrest Boulevard; Joshua E. Spudich, 19, of the 6N000 block of May Lane; Benjamin S. Sterling, 18, of the 0-99 block of St. Germain Place; and a 16-year-old Geneva boy who wasn't named because of his age.

Kane County Sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler said Sterling surrendered Wednesday and posted a $4,000 bond to be released. The other three defendants are expected to surrender in coming days on $40,000 bail warrants, he said.

According to court records, Martin has already filed a motion challenging his case. In the handwritten motion, Martin states he was “falsely implicated in a crime that I had nothing to do with.” The filing does not elaborate.