Armed Robbery At Joliet Downtown Gas Station, 'He Admitted To Cocaine Addiction': Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — Will County Judge Derek Ewanic has ruled that Joliet homeless resident Markese Rhodes must stay in the Will County Jail following last week's armed robbery of Joliet's only downtown Joliet gas station, the Citgo station at the corner of Jackson and Scott Streets.

The Will County State's Attorney Office has charged the 25-year-old Rhodes with armed robbery and robbery. The criminal complaint indicates that on July 19, Rhodes took property that was being offered for sale by threatening the use of force while he carried a dangerous weapon, a knife.

The petition to deny release further explains that Joliet police officers were called to the Citgo Gas Station at 356 Scott at 12:25 p.m. for an armed robbery. A female employee told the officers that Rhodes came inside, looked around, grabbed a backpack and placed items inside the backpack and then demanded money from her.

"He made a motion to his hip as if he had a weapon," prosecutors informed Judge Ewanic.

The woman texted her owner-manager, since he was at the gas station but not present during the encounter. When the store owner tried to stop Rhodes, a struggle took place outside the gas station. That's when Rhodes pulled out his knife and threatened the gas station owner with it, prosecutors outlined, and then Rhodes took off on his bicycle.

Based on the suspect description, Joliet police arrested Rhodes on nearby Scott Street, and he was identified in a police lineup and he confessed to the theft, prosecutors noted.

"He had three thrives on his person and a crack pipe. He admitted to having a cocaine addiction," prosecutors pointed out, adding that Rhodes already has a pending Will County retail theft case.