A Waukegan man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular hijacking at gunpoint, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Elijah Monette, 22, received the sentence from Lake County Circuit Court Judge James Booras. The case involved a woman and her 10-year-old son who were approached by Monette and two juveniles in a Target parking lot in Waukegan in March 2024.
Raoul stated, “What started as a terrifying ordeal for a mother and her young son, resulted in a high-speed chase that jeopardized the safety of the community. The collaboration between my office and the Waukegan Police Department was instrumental in our ability to hold this individual responsible for this crime and compromising public safety.”
After ordering the victims out of their SUV at gunpoint, Monette and the juveniles drove away with the vehicle. About half an hour later, police spotted them on traffic cameras. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, leading to a 20-minute high-speed chase reaching speeds of up to 120 mph before Monette was arrested. Several handguns were recovered during the arrest.
J’Corey Lewis, age 17 and also from Waukegan, is being tried as an adult for his role as driver during the incident. Charges against other juveniles are pending with Lake County Juvenile Detention Court.
Waukegan Police Department Deputy Chief Craig Neal commented on the outcome: “It is a pleasure to learn of the court decision resulting from the combined efforts of Waukegan Patrol Officers, Waukegan Criminal Investigators, and the Attorney General’s Office. Working collaboratively, we were able to successfully hold suspects accountable for their crimes while committing an aggravated vehicular hijacking. This horrendous act forever impacted the life of a victim and their family. Our hope is the justice served acts as a deterrent for others seeking to commit such crimes.”
Deputy Bureau Chief Jonathan McKay and Supervising Attorney Daniel Weiler prosecuted this case on behalf of Raoul’s Criminal Prosecutions Bureau.
The Illinois Attorney General’s office works alongside law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois to support crime victims and promote open government (https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/index). The office also advocates for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants, seniors; handles thousands of consumer complaints each year; protects consumers; promotes safer communities; advances environmental causes; extends advocacy across Illinois; and offers services such as complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights (https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/index).