CHICAGO — At least three migrants face charges for recent incidents in downtown Chicago, including one accused of threatening passersby with a knife and another arrested for shoplifting twice this month.
Alejandro Jose Paipa Fernandez, a 25-year-old resident at the Standard Club migrant shelter at 320 South Plymouth, was arrested Sunday evening.
A Chicago police officer said he was on the block handling a separate incident when people began flagging him down around 6:30 p.m. The passersby directed him to Fernandez, who was waving a knife at pedestrians, according to a CPD arrest report.
The officer said Fernandez’s knife was about 12 inches long.
Judge Charles Beach released Fernandez on a recognizance bond Monday. He’s charged with misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon.
In another incident, a migrant who lives at the Calumet (5th) District police station was charged with felony retail theft near the Magnificent Mile.
Security officers at Nordstrom Rack, 101 East Chicago Avenue, told police Gabriel Munoz Marquez, 31, brought a bag into the store last Friday afternoon and began stuffing it with sunglasses and a purse.
Marquez walked out with the bag, which contained merchandise worth $1,783, a CPD arrest report said.
Judge William Fahy released Marquez on his own recognizance.
Then there’s Jefferson Bozo Santiago, 23, another resident of the Standard Club shelter. He managed to get arrested twice this month for misdemeanor shoplifting.
Back on the Fourth of July, security officers at Macy’s, 111 North State, detained him for putting a bottle of Prada perfume and four Puma shirts into his hoodie and a book bag, according to an arrest report. Total value: $260.
He was released from the police station on a recognizance bond.
Just twelve days later, he was arrested at Neiman Marcus, 737 North Michigan.
Security officers told police they saw him put a pair of $247 sunglasses into a bag and walk out, according to a police report.
Judge Susana Ortiz set bail at $3,000 on July 18, but Judge Daniel Gallagher reduced it to a recognizance bond on Monday.
In the interim, Santiago entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors for the July 4 incident, according to court records. He is expected to complete 20 hours of community service.
Tough town
The men join a growing list of migrants who’ve found themselves in hot water since arriving in Chicago.
- A 23-year-old resident of the Standard Club is accused of hitting a server in the face with a bottle at Whispers, a lakeside cafe at Oak Street Beach.
- Another migrant was arrested three times during his first three weeks in the city.
- And another was charged last month with trying to shoplift $3,100 worth of merchandise from Macy’s in the Loop.
- In May, a resident of the Standard Club shelter was charged with stabbing another resident during an argument.
Migrants have also been the victims of crimes recently.
Migrants have been targeted by armed robbers at least twice this month, one outside a shelter in the 2000 block of South Racine and another outside a shelter operating in the former Young Women’s Leadership Academy, 2641 South Calumet.
An Indiana man is accused of stealing two phones that migrants left charging in the lobby of the Near West (12th) District police station, where they live.