Five men charged for string of 22 burglaries at Illinois video gaming machines

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged five men for a series of burglaries at video gaming machines in Central Illinois and the Chicago area.

The men are 35-year-old John Friedrich of Streator, 39-year-old Joseph Montoro of Berwyn, 41-year-old Sebastian Perez of Chicago, 20-year-old Jacob Sickel of Brookfield, and 53-year-old Don Wiley of University Park. All have been charged with at least 4 felonies.

The attorney general said the group of men are linked to a string of 22 burglaries of video gaming machines from last year across 12 counties, including DeWitt, Champaign, McLean, and Peoria Counties.

“The thefts allegedly committed by this burglary ring impacted dozens of businesses and counties, targeting gas stations, bars and small video gaming machine parlors,” Raoul said. “These arrests are the result of countless hours of investigative work and close collaborations between my office and several law enforcement agencies. I would like to thank the Illinois Gaming Board and the agencies that participated in this complex investigation. I look forward to continuing similar partnerships that help us hold criminals accountable across jurisdictions.”

The charges for the men are as follows:

For Friedrich:

• One count of theft between $10,000 and $100,000
• One count of money laundering
• Six counts of burglary

For Montoro:

• One count of theft between $100,000 and $500,000
• One count of money laundering
• 20 counts of burglary
• One count of attempted burglary

For Perez:

• One count of theft between $500 and $10,000
• Two counts of burglary
• One count of attempted burglary

For Sickel:

• One count of theft between $10,000 and $100,000
• 10 counts of burglary
• One count of attempted burglary

For Wiley:

• One count of theft between $10,000 and $100,000
• Eight counts of burglary
• One count of attempted burglary

Along with local law enforcement, the attorney general’s office worked with the Illinois Gaming Board in prosecuting the men.

“The IGB was pleased to partner with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies in dismantling this video gaming burglary ring and bringing these criminals to justice,” IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter said. “The IGB will continue working with our state and local partners on criminal investigations statewide to ensure and uphold the integrity and safety of gaming in Illinois.”

All but Friedrich are awaiting their first court appearance in DuPage County. The attorney general asks anyone with knowledge on Friedrich’s whereabouts to call their local law enforcement.

The DeWitt County Sheriff confirmed with WCIA the group is not connected to a recent video gaming terminal burglary in DeWitt. No arrests have been made yet in connection to that case, the sheriff said Thursday morning.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.