Thirty-two indictments were handed down Monday against a transient couple accused of robbing a number of liquor and convenience stores in seven northwest suburbs since early 2003, sometimes with their children in the car.
Curtis Dillon, 40, and his girlfriend, Kena Young, 33, whose last known address was in the 0-100 block of Liberty Street, Elgin, each face 43 counts of armed robbery, eight counts of aggravated battery and three counts of unlawful restraint, according to Marcy Jensen, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
Because the couple are accused of having one or more of their four children in the car during some of the robberies, they also face 28 counts each of contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor, officials said.
Assistant Public Defenders Gary Stanton, who is representing Young, and Helen Tsimouris, who represents Dillon, both waived a formal reading of the charges and entered not guilty pleas for their clients in Rolling Meadows court. Cook County Circuit Judge John Scotillo set bond at $500,000 each for Dillon and Young, who have been in jail since their arrest.
The couple were arrested following a stakeout by Palatine police on June 22, when Dillon dropped a loaded handgun after robbing a clerk at Extra Value Liquors, 1348 N. Rand Rd. Young was arrested near the store while she sat in a Ford Expedition, police said.
The other charges stem from 32 holdups at area businesses in Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Streamwood and Wheeling between Jan. 20, 2003, and June 22, 2004.
One business in Schaumburg was robbed twice, and two businesses in Schaumburg and Streamwood were robbed on the same day in October.
There are no charges pending against the children, Stanton said. He did not know their ages or who is caring for them. The Department of Children and Family Services has no record of the children, a spokesperson said.
