Waukegan Parolee Accused of Threatening to Shoot and Stab 13-Year-Old Boy, Robbing Woman the Following Day

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — A 28-year-old Waukegan man already on parole for aggravated domestic battery has been indicted after prosecutors say he violently attacked and robbed a 13-year-old boy outside a Dollar General store before allegedly robbing a woman at a bus stop the following afternoon.

Ishmael M. Lewis, 28, faces seven felony counts, including armed robbery, aggravated robbery, robbery and aggravated battery.

The indictment includes one count of armed robbery, a Class X felony; two counts of aggravated robbery, Class 1 felonies; two counts of robbery, Class 2 felonies; and two counts of aggravated battery, Class 3 felonies.

13-Year-Old Pleaded for His Life During Attack

According to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Lourdes Jimenez, Waukegan police responded around 4:19 p.m. on October 20 to the 2000 block of North Lewis Avenue following reports of a robbery.

A 13-year-old boy told investigators he had just left a nearby Dollar General when Lewis approached him and demanded his belongings.

“Give me all your things. I’m going to shoot you and stab you,” Lewis allegedly told the child.

Prosecutors said Lewis repeatedly reached toward a duffle bag and placed his hand inside his pocket. The boy reported seeing what appeared to be a gray knife handle.

Fearing for his life, the child pleaded, “Please don’t shoot me.”

Lewis allegedly began punching the boy repeatedly in the face as the child attempted to push him away.

The assault continued until the boy screamed for help and a nearby bystander approached, prompting Lewis to flee on foot.

The teenager suffered a puncture wound to his face that required 10 stitches.

“Not just an open laceration, Your Honor,” Jimenez told the court, explaining that the injury appeared to have been caused by an object that punctured the child’s face.

Lewis allegedly stole the boy’s Samsung cellphone and wallet containing $10.

Surveillance footage later showed a man matching Lewis’s description following the boy shortly before the attack. Although the assault itself was not captured, investigators identified distinctive clothing, including dark pajama pants with white designs and black-and-white athletic shoes.

Woman Robbed at Waukegan Bus Stop the Next Day

Less than 24 hours later, Waukegan police responded to another reported robbery around 4:49 p.m. on October 21 near Glen Flora Avenue and Indiana Avenue.

A woman who had recently purchased clothing from Burlington was waiting at a bus stop when a man matching Lewis’s description approached her.

Prosecutors said Lewis forcefully took her shopping bag after lifting his shirt, clenching his hands and gesturing toward his waist, leading the woman to believe he was armed with a firearm.

He then fled on foot with the merchandise.

Investigators connected the two incidents through witness descriptions, surveillance footage and the suspect’s distinctive clothing.

Prosecutors Say Lewis Admitted to Both Robberies

Police located Lewis after an officer spotted him wearing clothing matching the surveillance footage.

Lewis initially fled from officers but was later apprehended.

During a recorded interview following his Miranda warning, Lewis allegedly admitted to committing both robberies.

Prosecutors said he told detectives he pawned the teenager’s cellphone at a kiosk, discarded the wallet and sold the clothing stolen from the woman.

According to Jimenez, Lewis also admitted that he committed the robberies to support a crack cocaine addiction.

“He told detectives that he committed both robberies and that he did so because he has a crack addiction and he needs to feed his addiction,” Jimenez said.

Suspect Was on Parole Following Previous Violent Felony Conviction

Court records show Lewis was already on parole following a 2020 Cook County aggravated domestic battery case.

He received a seven-year prison sentence and was released on parole in late December.

Prosecutors noted that the earlier case originally included several serious charges, including murder, kidnapping and child abduction, before Lewis pleaded guilty to aggravated domestic battery.

Lewis also has previous convictions for burglary in 2017 and 2018, along with an identity theft conviction that resulted in a separate two-year prison sentence.

Lake County Judge Patricia Cornell referenced the seriousness of Lewis’s criminal history during his detention hearing.

“There were a plethora of charges from 2020,” Cornell said.

The judge also observed that the combined prison sentences Lewis had received amounted to more than half his age.

Judge Orders Lewis Held Pending Trial

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office petitioned to keep Lewis detained while his criminal case proceeds.

During the hearing, prosecutors argued that Lewis’s repeated criminal conduct, alleged violence and admitted motivation for committing robberies presented an ongoing danger to the community.

Jimenez described his behavior as demonstrating an ongoing threat to public safety.

Assistant Public Defender Justin Malec requested Lewis be released under Level 4 pretrial conditions, including electronic monitoring.

Malec told the court that Lewis has a residence in Waukegan, a 7-year-old son and another child expected in February. He also said Lewis was seeking employment to support his family.

Judge Cornell rejected the request for release.

Cornell specifically cited the attack against the 13-year-old boy, who had begged not to be shot before suffering a facial injury requiring 10 stitches.

The judge determined that no available release conditions would adequately protect the victims or the community.

She also ordered Lewis to have no contact with either victim.

Lewis remains detained at the Lake County Jail and is scheduled for arraignment on November 12.

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