Round Lake Park woman pleads guilty to role in restaurant robbery

A Round Lake Park woman was placed on probation for two years Wednesday after she admitted being the inside person in the staged robbery of a restaurant.

Tiffany Vilchis, 20, was also ordered to pay $2,221 in restitution and perform 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to theft.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Koehl said Vilchis, of the 500 block of Brier Hill Drive, was working as a manager of the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Route 173 in Antioch.

On Oct. 10, 2008, Vilchis and another employee were confronted near closing time by a man wielding a gun and demanding money, Koehl said. Vilchis turned over the cash, Koehl said, and the man fled without further incident.

In March of this year, a caller to Antioch police told investigators that Daniel Arroyo, 20, of North Chicago, may have had something to do with the robbery.

Police interviewed Arroyo, and he admitted he was dating Vilchis at the time of the robbery and the two had orchestrated the heist.

Arroyo also admitted he was armed with a BB gun when he committed the robbery, Koehl said. Both were originally charged with aggravated robbery, which carries a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Koehl said he agreed to reduce the charge against both because of their lack of significant prior criminal history.

Arroyo pleaded guilty to theft on April 16 and was also sentenced to two years on probation.