Three men, all with histories of gun crimes, were allegedly caught in a carjacked $130,000 Mercedes on the West Side over the weekend. One of them allegedly had the keys to another carjacked vehicle in his pocket. One of them was wearing the Mercedes owner’s jewelry. Two of them reportedly had guns. None of them is charged with carjacking.
They are, however facing other charges and Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz ordered each of them held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
It all started early Saturday when three offenders got out of a Chevy Trailblazer and carjacked the Mercedes owner at gunpoint of his G-class wagon in the 1800 block of South Ashland. His Gucci belt, a rose gold chain, a yellow gold chain, and a hat bearing his company’s name were inside the hijacked SUV.
Cops located the Mercedes a few hours later and boxed it in at a McDonald’s in North Lawndale. Raul Perez was driving the Mercedes while wearing the victim’s jewelry, hat, and belt, Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Ferrell said. The keys to the Chevy Trailblazer that the hijackers used before the carjacking were allegedly in the center console next to him.
Ferrell said Perez slammed the Mercedes into a CPD detective’s car before he was arrested. The detective was treated and released from a hospital but has not returned to work, according to Ferrell.
Perez has a pending unlawful use of a weapon by a felon case. He was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2018, too. His defense attorney said he is 21 and has one child. He’s charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, aggravated battery of a police officer, felony criminal damage to property, and felony resisting.
Carlos Seija was in the back seat near a 9-millimeter handgun, according to Ferrell. Police allegedly found the keys to a Lincoln that was also carjacked the same morning in his pants pocket.
He is charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a controlled substance. He was convicted twice of unlawful use of a weapon in 2019 and has pending cases for failure to register as a gun offender, domestic battery, and violating an order of protection. He’s 29 and has twin six-year-old daughters, a defense attorney said.
Another gun was allegedly found in the front passenger seat where Miguel Manzano, 23, was seated.
Prosecutors charged him with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. He is on parole for aggravated discharge of a firearm. He has three children and a fourth on the way, according to his defense attorney.
All of the men are required to go onto electronic monitoring if they post 10% deposit bonds, Ortiz said. Manzano, however, is being held without bail while the state considers revoking his parole. Perez was ordered held without bail for violating the terms of release in his pending gun case.
Ferrell said police continue to investigate the Mercedes and Lincoln carjackings.
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