Judge denies pretrial release in medication theft case

A DuPage County judge has denied pretrial release for a man accused of robbing a friend of anti-anxiety medication.

Xavier Garcia, 20, of the 3300 block of Oak Avenue in Brookfield, is charged with one count of armed robbery with a firearm.

According to a prosecutor's petition for detention, the defendant arranged to meet at the victim's hotel room in the 600 block of Pasquinelli Drive. The victim was sitting in a chair watching television, and the defendant was in a chair behind him. The defendant asked the victim if he had picked up his Xanax anti-anxiety tranquilizer medication.

According to the petition, the victim turned around and saw Garcia pointing a handgun at him. Garcia then took the Xanax and a bottle of Norco narcotic painkillers.

Garcia ran out of the hotel room, with the victim chasing him and taking a video. Garcia ran to a nearby business and tried to obtain an Uber ride, but police detained him, according to the petition.

Westmont police allege they found a bottle containing Xanax and other pills in Garcia's possession. Garcia was wearing a gun holster, but police did not find a gun, according to the petition.

They did not, however, locate a gun.

DuPage County Judge Jeffrey MacKay on Monday ruled there was clear and convincing evidence Garcia posed a threat to a specific person or the community and that there was no condition of pretrial release that could mitigate that.

Garcia's next court date is Nov. 6.