COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A South Side man faces life in prison after a string of armed robberies on the North and West Sides, including one in which he allegedly apologized for taking the victim's Link card.
Willie Clay, 45, was on parole for robbery, armed robbery and carjacking when he robbed three women in West Town and Humboldt Park in the last few months, prosecutors said Thursday.
In one of the attacks, Clay drove a blue Toyota in front of a woman walking in the 4100 block of West Iowa Street about 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, Assistant State's Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Thursday. The car had been reported stolen during a Jan. 8 carjacking in Logan Square.
Clay allegedly stepped out of the Toyota, pointed a gun and took the woman's cellphone, Link card and debit card. When he demanded cash, the victim told Clay she didn't have any, prosecutors said.
That's when Clay apologized and handed back the Link card and cellphone, according to Scaduto. He then drove off in the stolen Toyota with the victim's debit card, she added.
Less than 12 hours later, Clay robbed a woman as she walked a 7-year-old child to school in the 2100 block of West Ohio Street in West Town about 8 a.m. on Jan. 12, prosecutors said.
The victim felt someone tugging on her purse, which was wrapped around her body, Scaduto said, and saw Clay step in front of her with a gun.
Clay stole the purse, which contained credit cards and cash, court records show. He then drove off in the Toyota, which he had parked nearby — but not before the victim saw the license plate number, prosecutors said.
Surveillance footage captured Clay using the victim's credit card within two hours of the robbery, prosecutors said.
The first recent robbery Clay was linked to happened about 10 a.m. on Oct. 18 in the 2100 block of West Huron Street, Scaduto said. In that case, a "visibly pregnant" woman was walking her 18-month-old child to the park when Clay approached with a gun, prosecutors said.
The woman, who was eight months pregnant, handed over her purse, and Clay drove off in a car he had parked nearby, Scaduto said. Surveillance footage captured Clay using the victim's credit card at a gas station two hours later, she added.
Clay was arrested Tuesday when he crashed the stolen Toyota into another car in the 2700 block of West 57th Street in Gage Park, prosecutors said. Police found a replica gun inside the car, and Clay was later identified by the robbery victims in photo arrays.
Scaduto on Thursday asked Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan to hold Clay without bail.
Among other crimes, Clay has been convicted of two armed robberies requiring mandatory prison time, Scaduto said.
Prosecutors this week charged Clay with five counts of armed robbery requiring prison time. If he is convicted on even one more armed robbery count requiring prison time, Clay's mandatory sentence will be natural life in prison, according to state statutes.
Sullivan on Thursday agreed to hold Clay without bail as he awaited trial.
According to prosecutors, Clay was on parole for armed robbery, robbery and carjacking. In one of those cases, Scaduto said, Clay drove a UIC student to ATMs across the city and forced the student to make withdrawals.
He has felony convictions for a drug case, gun case, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, armed robbery and robbery, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Clay's public defender on Thursday said Clay, of the 6500 block of South Talman Avenue in Chicago Lawn, works as a laborer.
Local residents heralded news of Clay's arrest, according to Kim Shepherd, a volunteer CAPS facilitator.
"I cannot speak highly enough of the members of the 12th District's robbery-burglary team," Shepherd said. "They are dedicated, tenacious and are truly committed to serving and protecting the residents of our area. This is not the first bad guy they have either tracked down or caught in the act. We are lucky to have them assigned here."
Contributing: Kelly Bauer
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