One pleads not guilty in attempted Vernon Hills robbery

One of five people police say were caught trying to rob a Vernon Hills grocery store pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Lake County circuit court.

Monica Cabral, 19, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of attempted armed robbery.

Assistant State's Attorney Matthew Demartini said Cabral, of the 100 block of Church Street in Wauconda, was with a group that entered the La Tienda del Pueblo grocery around 8:30 a.m. on May 12.

Christian Martinez-Guerrero, 18, also of the Wauconda address and Chicago residents Eliu Villicana-Mancilla, 26, his brother Jose Villicana-Mancilla, 23 and Juaquin Lopez, 23, were under police surveillance because of their suspected involvement in a number of crimes against Latino businesses.

Demartini said police watched as the group began to tie up a woman who owns the store. Police broke through the door and arrested three of the suspects at the scene.

Two others were caught after a short foot chase, Demartini said, and two handguns were also recovered.

Members of the group have been charged with a pair of robberies in McHenry County, Demartini said, and are believed to be responsible for several other crimes in Lake, McHenry and Boone counties.

All are being held on $ 1 million bond, and the four other suspects are scheduled for arraignment on Thursday, June 9.

Cabral is due to appear in court again July 2.