A man has been charged with robbery for allegedly helping two accomplices mug a CTA passenger on the Jackson Red Line platform last week. Lamonte Taylor-Gwin, 30, allegedly told police that one of the other robbers is a friend he knows from jail.
Chicago police released surveillance images of the three robbers last Thursday. They arrested Taylor-Gwin late Friday night on the 300 block of South Dearborn.
According to police and prosecutors, a man who wore a white shirt over his face demanded the 54-year-old victim’s phone and wallet on the platform around 12:30 a.m. on September 6. When the victim refused to comply, a man wearing a red and black jacket walked up and began fighting with him.
Prosecutors said that Taylor-Gwin took the victim’s wallet from his back pocket as he struggled with the second offender. CTA video allegedly shows Taylor-Gwin going through the man’s wallet and then tossing it on the ground.
The man who wore a t-shirt over his face — reportedly Taylor-Gwin’s jailhouse pal — took the victim’s phone and forced him to give up his passcode before fleeing with the man in the jacket, according to prosecutors. Those two men have not been arrested.
During an interview with police, Taylor-Gwin allegedly admitted to taking the man’s wallet.
He is currently on parole for a narcotics case. he has seven prior felony convictions, including two for robbery in Champaign County.
Judge Mary Marubio set bail at $75,000, meaning he must post a deposit of $7,500 to get out of jail. He is required to go onto electronic monitoring if he makes bail, the judge said.
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