A knife-wielding Chicago man who robbed two northwest suburban taxi drivers and stole their cars in June was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison, authorities reported.
Martin Barrientos, 21, pleaded guilty in Cook County Circuit Court to aggravated vehicular hijacking in connection with the incidents. His last known address was in the 4100 block of North Ravenswood Avenue. The case against his female accomplice, Yamilka Gomez, 20, of Chicago, is pending, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the two held knives to two cabdrivers on successive nights as they were being driven to locations in Hanover Park, prosecutors said. In one case they ordered a female driver out of her cab after robbing her of $800, credit cards and a cellphone, prosecutors said. The two fled in the cab, prosecutors said.
In the second incident, a male driver was taking them to another Hanover Park location when Barrientos held a knife to his neck and Gomez went through the driver’s pockets, taking $100, prosecutors said. The two fled in the cab after pushing the driver out, authorities said.
Barrientos also was charged in a 2016 Hanover Park incident in which he robbed a former restaurant co-worker who was riding his bicycle home, prosecutors said. That case and other charges were dropped in exchange for his plea, authorities said.
The case against Gomez will continue Jan. 23 in Rolling Meadows branch court. She is charged with armed robbery and aggravated vehicular hijacking.
George Houde is a freelance reporter.