Vernon Hills suspects charged in McHenry County

Three suspects in last week’s attempted armed robbery of a Vernon Hills grocery store now face similar charges in McHenry County, authorities said Tuesday.

Christian Martinez-Guererro, 18, and Monica A. Cabral, 19, both of the 100 block of Church Street in Wauconda, and Eliu Villicana-Mancilla, 26, of Chicago have been charged with attempted armed robbery and aggravated unlawful restraint in a May 6 robbery of Morelia Boutique in Crystal Lake and a May 7 robbery of the New Look Beauty Salon in Harvard, officials from the McHenry County state’s attorney’s office said.

Villicana-Mancilla also picked up a charge of armed violence, a Class X felony that could put him behind bars for 30 years if he’s found guilty, officials said.

The McHenry County charges come after the three — along with Chicago residents Jose Villicana-Mancilla, 23, and Juaquin Lopez, 20 — were charged in Lake County with the May 12 attempted armed robbery of the La Tienda del Pueblo grocery store.

All five remain in Lake County jail on $1 million bail.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Stephen Scheller said investigations are continuing into the armed robberies in McHenry County and possible crimes in Boone County.

The suspects were under surveillance by the U.S. Marshals Service and McHenry County sheriff’s office for their roles in other robberies when they tried to rob the Vernon Hills grocery store, authorities said.

In that case, police broke through the front door of the store on the 100 block of Townline Road after the robbers tied up the owners, Scheller said.

Three suspects were captured at the scene and two others after a short manhunt, he said. No one was harmed and no money was stolen in the Vernon Hills robbery, Scheller said.

Jose Villicana-Mancilla is expected to appear in Lake County court May 19, while the other suspects have a June 6 court date.

If convicted of the Vernon Hills crime, the five could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.