Community Corner
Judge to Defendants: Stay Away From Victim
Judge reschedules arraignment after lawyer for defendants does not appear in court.
Two Highland Park men charged with attempted burglary of a Deerfield home were ordered to stay away from the victim and the victim’s property today by a Lake County Criminal Court judge in Waukegan.
Sergio Perez, 24, and Martin Perez-Valencia, 20, both of Highland Park, who are free on bond, are accused of trying to break into a home in the 100 block of Ferndale on May 17. They were in Lake County Criminal Court for their arraignment today when Judge John Phillips added a condition to their bond.
"Neither of you are to have any contact with (the victim) or be within 1,000 feet of (the 100 block of) Ferndale," Phillips said.
Phillips also rescheduled the arraignment for 9 a.m. August 21 because Jorge Rodriguez, the attorney for Perez and Perez-Valencia, was not in court. At that time it is expected the defendants will plead guilty or not guilty.
“Mr. Rodriguez left on vacation,” Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Ryan Koehl said. “He called to say he was leaving today and send his apologies to the court.” After hearing that, Phillips continued the arraignment.
Both Perez and Perez-Valencia face charges of attempted burglary, a Class 2 Felony, which could lead to between three and seven years in jail. Perez-Valencia is also accused of obstruction of justice, a Class 4 Felony which carries a one to three year sentence.
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The two men were originally arrested May 18 after police initially observed Perez and Perez-Valencia driving eastbound on Lake Cook Road May 17, turn onto Heather and stop in the 20 block of Ferndale, according to Deerfield Police reports.
A little later, police received a 911 call from a Deerfield homeowner informing the department two men were in the back yard and “jiggling” the door knob, according to the report.
The caller did not know the men, who turned out to be Perez and Perez-Valencia, became “terrified” and called 911, according to the report. Having information on the identities of Perez and Perez-Valencia, police were able to locate them and place them under arrest.
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