CHICAGO — Police have issued several warnings recently about armed men who are using social media marketplace ads to lure victims into robbery traps. Just a couple of days ago, prosecutors charged a 16-year-old boy with robbing two men he lured to a location via an online ad.
Yesterday, a man pleaded guilty to committing a marketplace-related robbery. He received a four-year sentence but will be out of prison in less than a year.
George Miller’s victim had been looking to buy a PS5 on Facebook when he saw one offered in his price range last January. He contacted the seller and arranged to meet at the victim’s residence in the 8600 block of South Essex.
Miller, 26, allegedly arrived around 7 p.m. with a PS5 box, and the victim met him in the building vestibule to complete the sale. The transaction soured after he handed Miller the agreed-upon $400 in cash.
“You know what time it is,” Miller allegedly told the man while displaying a firearm.
Prosecutors claimed Miller told the 52-year-old victim he had “done this to women all week.” He took the cash, left the PS5 box, and fled in a car waiting outside. Prosecutors said the PlayStation box contained books.
Miller’s face was completely visible during the robbery, and the victim also remembered a tattoo on Miller’s left hand, the petition said. Investigators tracked Miller down through his Facebook account.
During Thursday’s court hearing, Miller pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery before Judge Arthur Willis. Prosecutors dropped two more serious Class X armed robbery charges he faced.
State law reduces Miller’s sentence to two years with good behavior. Those 730 days will be reduced further by 409 days of credit Miller earned while in custody as the case was pending.
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