COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The suburban teen who forced a 79-year-old man to write him a check earlier this week threatened to kill the man if the check didn't clear, prosecutors said Friday.
Deon Alexander, 19, first approached the 79-year-old victim Wednesday afternoon as the man shoveled his driveway in the 10300 block of South Artesian Avenue, prosecutors said.
Alexander asked the man for a dollar, and the victim handed one over, according to Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti, who spoke during a bond hearing Friday.
Alexander walked off, but returned a short while later with what appeared to be a gun, prosecutors said.
He shoved the gun into the victim's ribs about 5:30 p.m. and gave the man two options, prosecutors said: The victim could either drive to an ATM and withdraw cash or head inside his house and write Alexander a check.
Alexander then led the victim inside, where the man wrote a check for $1,000, Antonietti said.
The victim was led to a bedroom, where he kneeled as Alexander held the gun — which was later determined to be a plastic replica — to his head, according to prosecutors.
Alexander told the victim he would kill him if the check didn't clear, Antonietti said. The teen then left the house and told the 79-year-old man to wait five minutes before moving.
The victim immediately called 911, and police on patrol spotted Alexander in the area, prosecutors said.
After a brief chase, officers found Alexander hiding under a porch in the 10600 block of South Artesian Avenue about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, court records show. Prosecutors said the $1,000 check was recovered on the path of the foot chase.
Alexander, of the 12300 block of South May Street in suburban Calumet City, is charged with aggravated kidnapping for ransom.
His defense attorney on Friday said Alexander attends Malcolm X College and has a job with an airline company.
Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan on Friday ordered Alexander held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
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