Chicago police have arrested two men who used the hook-up app Grindr to lure, ambush and rob at least nine gay men. The incidents started happening on October 14, according to CPD and city sources.
Cops on Thursday set up a secret sting operation that ultimately led to the creeps capture and arrests.
Twenty-Five year-old Stephen Jackson of Evanston and Twenty-Eight-year-old Trenell Kirkman of Blue Island have been charged with a series of crimes and ordered to remain in jail without bail.
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Kirkman used the app to arrange meet-ups and draw men into a gangway in the 7600 block of North Bosworth where each person lured was held at gunpoint and then robbed, according to police.
Per a report in CWB Chicago:
“City records show seven armed robberies in the 7600 block of North Bosworth since the spree began: at 11:25 p.m. on October 14; 3:30 p.m. on October 15; 6:40 p.m. October 25; 6 a.m. on October 27; 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on October 30; and 8:30 p.m. on November 3.
Before the duo’s alleged robbery string, there had not been a robbery on that block since March 2013.
Jackson is charged with three felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm, felony attempted armed robbery with a firearm, felony unlawful possession of a credit-debit card, and misdemeanor possession of a firearm with an expired ownership ID card.
Kirkman is charged with four felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm, felony attempted armed robbery with a firearm and misdemeanor solicitation of a sexual act.
State records show that Kirkman is on parole for narcotics.”
In recent weeks, there have been a number of crimes that have occurred on the city’s North Side involving gun violence.
On October 31, a man was arrested for impersonating a police officer and sexually assaulting a male victim.
h/t: CWB Chicago and the Chicago Tribune
