Pair On Parole For Prior Robberies Charged In New Armed Robberies

WAUKEGAN, IL — A pair of parolees suspected of carrying out a string of armed robberies have been apprehended and are awaiting trial in Lake County Jail. One was taken into custody in Kenosha last month. The other was arrested Monday with the help of a Waukegan police dog after he took off running from his apartment building, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Cortez Thurmond, 29, of the 4100 block of Seadragon Court, Great Lakes, and Deon Brown, 27, of the 1600 block of Sunset Ave., Waukegan, are being held in connection with a warrant stemming from two armed robberies that took place minutes apart and about 3.5 miles from one another on Aug. 30 in Beach Park, according to sheriff's office spokesperson Sgt. Chris Covelli.

Just after 10 p.m. that night, two masked men — one armed with a pistol — came into the Citgo gas station at 38512 N. Sheridan Road and the 7-Eleven at 37763 N. Green Bay Road, according to Covelli. They stole cash and some cigarettes. But they left enough forensic evidence behind to be identified, he explained.

"Fingerprint evidence left at the scene by one of the offenders is what helped break the case, after a sheriff’s evidence technician successfully lifted a print," Covelli told Patch.

Investigators believe Brown, who was released on parole in September 2019 following his conviction for a robbery three years earlier, and Thurmond, who was paroled in December following a 2016 burglary conviction, are behind more similar robberies, according to Covelli.

Both incidents that led to their imprisonment took place in Zion and were charged as armed robberies prior to plea deals.

"This duo is suspected of numerous armed robberies in the region, including Racine and Kenosha Counties," he said.

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Brown, who is charged as the gunman in the Aug. 30 robberies, faces additional charges of resisting arrest and being a felon in possession of a firearm after a loaded pistol magazine was found during his arrest Monday, according to the sheriff's office.

Thurmond is also facing charges of armed robbery and robbery connected to another incident in Waukegan, records show. A Waukegan police spokesperson did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the circumstances of it. Any information received will be added here.

Both men are being held in lieu of the $25,000 cash portion of their bail. Both are being represented by the public defender's office. Thurmond is due back in court Oct. 27, while Brown's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 11.