Two suburban men were approached, threatened, and robbed inside a Millennium Park parking garage, and four individuals have been charged, though authorities claim three more thieves fled and are still unidentified.
Ernesto Gayton, 19, of Evanston; Anthony Hernandez, 20, of Chicago; Frank Leal, 23, of Chicago; and Isaac Torres, 19, of Cicero, have all been arrested on robbery and attempted robbery charges in connection with Judge Antara Rivera’s March 6 muggings, according to court records.
According to the detention filing, the group surrounded a 24-year-old Midlothian man inside the garage at 5 South Columbus Drive. Leal allegedly instructed Hernandez to “show him the gun,” and Hernandez lifted his sweater as if exposing a firearm. Feeling frightened, the victim handed over his chain and earrings. Torres and Gayton then patted down the victim and his friend, a 20-year-old Harvey man, but no items were stolen from the second victim, according to authorities.
Police inspected security footage and radioed a description of the robbers to patrol units. A short time later, a CPD bicycle unit discovered the four accused guys near the Lake and Wabash intersection in the Loop. Officers allegedly recovered the victim’s chain from Hernandez, and prosecutors say three more people participated in the crime but escaped and have yet to be identified.
Gayton’s juvenile record includes an adjudication for possession of a stolen motor vehicle as well as time spent in the juvenile department of prisons, according to Judge Rivera.
Hernandez is currently on parole for unlawful possession of a weapon, which he pled guilty to on January 26, according to court documents.