Oct. 27--A man previously convicted of a separate robbery and another man on probation for narcotics charges appeared in court Monday after being charged with stabbing and robbing a tourist visiting Chicago with his girlfriend near Oak Street Beach over the weekend, police said.
The tourist, 27-year-old Neil McCarthy, chased and tackled one of the robbers after tracking down his stolen iPhone, according to police and the couple.
Judge James Brown set bail at $950,000 for Noe Mondragon, 22, who was charged with aggravated battery and armed robbery, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto.
Mondragon, of the 4100 block of South Artesian Avenue, was convicted in December 2014 of a separate robbery, records show. He was sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and was given 80 days credit for time already served for the 2014 conviction, records show.
Brown set a $500,000 bail for Luis Salgado-Camargo, 18, said Scaduto, who added that Salgado-Camargo also violated his probation on three pending narcotics cases.
That means that even if Salgado-Camargo, who was charged with two counts of armed robbery, pays the $50,000 and bonds out, he can't be released until another judge rules on the violation of probation Nov. 3, Scaduto said. Salgado-Camargo lives in the 4100 block of West 25th Street.
McCarthy and his 26-year-old girlfriend, Carisa Lerner, live in Minneapolis. They were heading back to their hotel about 11:50 p.m. Saturday after spending the evening at Navy Pier and along North Michigan Avenue. They said that McCarthy is a former member of the Royal Air Force.
The victims were walking along the lakefront back to their hotel, and they were looking for an underpass, Scaduto said. They were approached by three individuals, including the two defendants, Scaduto said.
The couple said three men surrounded them and demanded their money and belongings in the 1100 block of North Lake Shore Drive near Oak Street Beach, police said.
"Mondragon produced a knife, and when the male victim tried to protect his girlfriend a struggle ensued and the male victim was stabbed,'' Scaduto said.
McCarthy eventually got the knife away from Mondragon, and Mondragon also suffered a knife wound during the struggle, Scaduto said.
McCarthy later identified the defendants. Authorities are still looking for a third unknown and uncharged offender, Scaduto said.
Taken during the robbery were McCarthy's wallet, passport and iPhone and Lerner's credit cards.
McCarthy tackled one of the two defendants and held him for police, according to the couple.
Mondragon and Salgado-Camargo are slated to appear again on the new charge Friday. The Illinois Department of Corrections also lodged a parole violation warrant against Mondragon, Scaduto said.
