Guilty plea in Vernon Hills armed robbery attempt
One of five people charged with the attempted armed robbery of a Vernon Hills grocery store pleaded guilty Friday and agreed to testify against the other suspects.
Monica Cabral, 19, of Wauconda received a promise she will not be sentenced to more than 10 years in prison in exchange for her cooperation with prosecutors.
She pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, a crime that normally carries a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars.
Cabral, Christian Martinez-Guererro, 18, also of Wauconda, and Chicago residents Eliu Villicana-Mancilla, 23, his brother Jose Villicana-Mancilla, 24, and Joaquin Lopez, 20, are charged with several robberies in Lake and McHenry counties.
They were being followed by police from both counties and the U.S. marshal’s service on May 12 when they entered the La Tienda del Pueblo grocery in the 100 block of East Townline Road.
Members of the group were tying up a woman who owns the store when police burst through the door and arrested three of the suspects at the scene, authorities said.
Two others were caught after a short foot chase, and police recovered two handguns during the arrests.
Cabral, Martinez-Guererro and Eliu Villicana-Mancilla also are charged with the April 9 armed robbery of Discoteca Mayras on the 300 block of Cedar Lake Road in Round Lake.
Those three also have been charged with two armed robberies during May in McHenry County, and all five are considered suspects in a series of crimes in Boone County earlier this year.
Assistant State’s Attorney Reginald Matthews said the Round Lake charge against Cabral will remain open until the cases against her co-defendants are resolved.
Eliu Villicana-Mancilla and Martinez-Guererro are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 11, Jose Villicana-Mancilla is set to appear Oct. 12 and Lopez is due Oct. 13.
All five are held in the Lake County jail on $1 million bail.