DuPage Court Pretrial Detention for Offender That Threatened to Kill Dollar Store Plus Clerk in Warrenville

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Warrenville Chief of Police Sam Bonilla announced today, Thursday, February 20, 2025, that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a St. Charles man with seven active failure to appear arrest warrants, accused of stealing approximately $221 from the Warrenville Dollar Store Plus store located at 2S521 IL Route 59. Emmanuel Herrera-Mendez, age 31 of the block of 100 South Tyler Road, appeared in First Appearance Court this morning charged with one count of Aggravated Robbery (Class 1 Felony). The State has filed motions to revoke pre-trial release in Herrera-Mendez’s other cases, which will be heard tomorrow, Friday, February 21, 2025.

Allegedly, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., a masked subject, later identified as Herrera-Mendez, entered the store and went to the shoe section indicating he wanted to buy shoes. The victim, who was behind the register at the time, exited from behind the register, approached Herrera-Mendez and asked if he needed help. Herrera-Mendez then allegedly turned toward the clerk with his left hand in his jacket pocket, indicating he had a weapon, and told the female clerk to give him all the money that she has. Then Emmanuel Herrera-Mendez walked with the victim back to the registers. As the victim was opening the registers, Herrera-Mendez allegedly threatened to kill her if she didn’t give him money. When the clerk opened a register that had money in it, Herrera-Mendez took the money from the register and fled the scene. The clerk immediately called 911. Police officers arrived at the scene, and approximately four to five minutes later, located Herrera-Mendez at a nearby apartment complex. He was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit. While police officers searched Emmanueo Herrera-Mendez’s person, officers allegedly found $221.10 in his jacket pocket, a vial with narcotic residue in it, and identification and credit cards belonging to other individuals. Further investigation found that Herrera-Mendez currently had seven active failure to appear arrest warrants.

“It is alleged that Mr. Herrera-Mendez threatened to kill an innocent woman who was just trying to make an honest living, and then robbed the Warrenville Dollar Store Plus of more than $200. This type of brazen behavior will not be tolerated in DuPage County. What I find particularly disturbing about this case is that at the time of his arrest, Mr. Herrera-Mendez had seven outstanding arrest warrants for failing to appear in court in seven different cases. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the Warrenville Police Department, Mr. Herrera-Mendez was quickly located and apprehended a short time later. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Nicholas Covert and Anna Derkacz for their efforts in securing charges against Mr. Herrera-Mendez.”

— DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin

“The Warrenville Police Department is sworn to protect everyone who resides, works, and passes through our jurisdiction. No person should feel unsafe within our community and we will do everything in our power to arrest and charge those that violate that feeling of safety and security. Herrera-Mendez should not have been on our streets, but I want to commend my officers and detectives for doing great police work and putting this criminal where he belongs. I also want to thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his staff for their support and collaboration in filing the appropriate charges.”

— Warrenville Chief of Police Sam Bonilla

Herrera-Mendez’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 17, 2025, in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

— DuPage County States’s Attorney’s Office

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