Algonquin teen charged with robbing drug supplier in soured deal

An Algonquin man was behind bars today on allegations he and an accomplice still on the loose robbed a man at knifepoint of an estimated $500 in marijuana Tuesday during a drug deal gone sour.

Yacoup K. Baghdadi, 19, of the 700 block of Evergreen, faces charges of armed robbery, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property stemming from the suspected holdup that took place in a parked car in Lake in the Hills, authorities say.

Baghdadi was arrested Tuesday night and remained in the McHenry County jail today unable to post a $7,500 bond.

His arrest came after a Lake in the Hills man called McHenry County Sheriff's police about 6:51 p.m. Tuesday to report he had been robbed by two men near Scenic and Circle drives.

The man told investigators he met Baghdadi and the second man at an Algonquin restaurant for an arranged drug deal. The man said he drove the two men from the restaurant to the robbery location, thinking they were going to complete the deal, when the second man grabbed him from behind and held a knife to his throat, sheriff's Sgt. Michael Cisner said.

The robbers, Cisner said, took the man's marijuana and then tried to take his car keys. The victim managed to keep the keys and drive away from the scene, but not before Baghdadi slashed one of his car's tires, Cisner said. The man kept driving anyway, making it to his home on the tire rim.

The second suspect is described as a Hispanic or Middle Eastern man in his late teens or early 20s, standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds, with short black hair. He was seen driving an older black Chevrolet Monte Carlo before the robbery.

Anyone with information is asked to call the McHenry County Sheriff's Criminal Investigation unit at (815) 334-4750.

Yacoup, who could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of all charges, is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 5.