CHICAGO — A man who stole a food delivery driver’s car with the victim’s three children inside has been given a four-year sentence. However, Marcos Contreras will not serve any time in prison after earning various credits, primarily for wearing an ankle monitor at home.
Back in February 2022, Contreras allegedly stole a DoorDash driver’s car while the victim ran into a ghost kitchen to pick up an order in the 800 block of West Superior. But Contreras, now 21, didn’t realize that the man’s three children were still inside the vehicle.
Officials said that the driver initially sent his 11-year-old son inside to pick up the order, but the father eventually went in personally because the kid was taking too long. He left his silver Equinox running with his other three children inside—a 12-year-old girl, a 5-year-old boy, and a 3-year-old girl.
Within two minutes, prosecutors said, Contreras jumped into the car’s driver’s seat and sped away. He allegedly drove several blocks and then kicked the kids out of the vehicle. According to online weather records, it was about 21° at the time.
Family members located the children and tracked one kid’s phone, which remained inside the stolen car. Police went to the phone’s location and allegedly found the stolen car across from Contreras’ home. Witnesses and surveillance video added to the evidence that prosecutors cited as they filed charges.
Contreras worked out a deal with prosecutors: he pleaded guilty to unlawful vehicular invasion, and they dropped 12 other felonies, including six Class X charges of kidnapping and vehicular hijacking. Judge Carol Howard gave him four years.
Those four years were reduced to two years by state law. Contreras then received another 807 days of credit for time spent in custody, mostly on house arrest, since being arrested. He will not spend time in prison.
