Geneva purse snatcher pleads guilty

A 22-year-old Geneva woman was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday after admitting she snatched an elderly woman's purse.

Maria J. Ruiz-Tagle pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced in a negotiated plea accepted by Kane County Associate Judge Allen M. Anderson. Because of a prior felony, she had faced up to 15 years behind bars if convicted at trial.

"You've made a mess of things so far," Anderson told Ruiz-Tagle in court. "I hope you make better choices in the future."

The robbery happened in broad daylight on April 17 as a 79-year-old woman walked through a parking lot at the Blue Goose Super Market in downtown St. Charles. Prosecutors said Ruiz-Tagle came up behind the woman, grabbed her purse and took off running.

She didn't get far, according to police, because witnesses at a nearby hair salon gave chase, causing her to drop the purse on the Illinois Street Bridge before she climbed into a vehicle waiting nearby.

Police said the witnesses provided detailed descriptions of Ruiz-Tagle and the vehicle. She was arrested a short time later on the east side of Geneva.

"In an interview, Ms. Ruiz-Tagle acknowledged she had taken the purse, and the driver had no knowledge" of the robbery, Assistant State's Attorney Sam Partida said.

Robbery typically is punishable by probation, but that was not an option for Ruiz-Tagle because she was previously convicted of felony drug possession. On Thursday, she also stipulated to violating probation in that case by participating in the robbery and was sentenced to one year in prison.

By statute, Ruiz-Tagle must serve at least half of both sentences, concurrently, with more than 100 days of credit for time already served in each case, meaning she could be paroled in less than two years.

Court records show she also has prior arrests for battery, theft and resisting police.