Two Chicago men who prosecutors say slammed a 58-year-old man to the ground during a New Year’s Day robbery and then attempted to flee on the CTA Brown Line have been sentenced to jail.
Kobe Lee, 21, and Felix Lopez, 20, targeted the man immediately after he left an Albany Park eatery about 10 p.m. on January 1, 2024. When the robbers arrived at the 4800 block of North Troy Street, they allegedly grabbed up the victim and body-slammed him onto the sidewalk, causing his skull to hit the concrete, according to prosecutors.
According to the detention petitions filed in the case, Lee and Lopez searched the victim’s pockets for valuables. When he attempted to resist, they continuously hit him in the head and face before walking away, leaving him on the ground.
A witness contacted 911 and followed the couple, providing specific details, including one suspect’s unique Scooby Doo clothing.
Around 40 minutes later, Chicago police officers discovered Lee and Lopez at the Kedzie Brown Line station. Lee was wearing the cartoon-covered jacket, and Lopez fit the description of the second thief. According to prosecutors, the victim instantly identified the perpetrators.
According to court records, Lopez was released from detention just two days after being accused of shoplifting at Macy’s on State Street. Lee had been released six months previously after completing half of a three-year sentence for possessing a stolen vehicle.
Lopez pled guilty to robbery on Monday, and Judge Michael Hood sentenced him to four years in prison. Hood gave Lee a five-year sentence after he entered a guilty plea to robbery and aggravated violence earlier this year. Both men will serve approximately half of their sentences before becoming eligible for release.