Elgin cigarette torture suspect in 2nd jail fight in 3 months
A suspect in the kidnapping and cigarette torture of a teen in Elgin in early 2016 has been charged with his second fight in three months at the Kane County jail.
Luis M. Palomar, 19, of Lake in the Hills, faces one count of felony mob action stemming from a fight at 4 p.m. Monday at the jail, where he is being held on $555,000 bail, according to the sheriff's office.
Kane County Sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler said Palomar and another inmate, Victor Garcia, 22, of Elgin, are accused of jumping into a fight between Jorge Chavez, 21, of Chicago, and a 24-year-old Streamwood man, who suffered minor injuries.
Palomar was charged in an April 3, 2017, fight at the jail when he also is accused of helping Chavez fight another inmate, records show.
Gengler could not specify what sparked the recent fight. "Typically in these instances inmates will be separated and then placed on red status which restricts their interaction with other inmates," he said, adding Palomar has had several status changes at the jail. "Based on behavior they can work their way off red status but only after a review of their behavior."
Palomar was arrested in March 2016 in Mexico on charges of kidnapping, home invasion, aggravated battery and other offenses. He and three others are accused of abducting an Elgin teen in late February 2016 - later identified as Palomar's ex-girlfriend - beating her and holding her overnight and using lit cigarettes to burn her shoulder tattoo that matched his.
If convicted in the cigarette torture case, he faces six to 30 years in prison with no chance of probation. While free on bond last summer, Palomar also was charged in two separate incidents with burglary to vehicles and cocaine possession, records show. He is next due in court July 20.