An Illinois Christian school teacher is accused of using the gay dating app Grindr to lure unsuspecting victims into violent robberies, and investigators have previously identified him. It has been linked to two incidents.
Antoine Pertito is a physical education teacher. Security guard Lions Math and Science Christian Academy in Waukegan, about an hour from Chicago, is involved in incidents that occurred in June and October 2023, officials said.
Prosecutors said Partito and another unnamed suspect broke into the home of a Cicero man the teacher was chatting with on Grindr, then tied him up and gagged him. robbery he was held at gunpoint CWB Chicago reported on October 8th.
“At one point, Partit forced the man to reveal his cell phone password, and Partit fiddled with the device while pressing his foot in the man's face,” the local newspaper reported.
previous coverage In this particular case, it was revealed that Prosecutor Matthew Larkin told Judge Susana Ortiz during a recent detention hearing that the victim provided Pertito with her home address for a meeting.
Larkin said the victim was walking his dog in front of his home when Partito and another person arrived in Partito's car.
“Partito allegedly pulled up his shirt to expose the handgun and led the victim inside,” the paper reported in court records. “When a second person entered the apartment, he forced the man face down in the bedroom…The two forced the victim to unlock his cell phone and bank account.”
While the victim's hands and feet were bound with belts and his eyes and mouth covered, both suspects ransacked the home for valuables, “eventually finding a container of coins, about $50 in cash, Larkin said he took the victim's cell phone, smart watch and keys and left.”
After the victim was finally freed and called 911, Cicero police obtained surveillance footage of the incident outside the home, and investigators determined Pertito's car and cell phone were in the area at the time of the home invasion. did.
Partito is now believed to be involved in a similar crime that occurred in Rogers Park on June 28th.
The suburban teacher allegedly contacted a previous victim on the same gay dating app and received permission to come to his home with another unidentified man, according to CWB Chicago.
The two allegedly arrived at the victim's home around 11:30 p.m. Once inside, they robbed him at gunpoint.
Prosecutors say Partito and his accomplice forced the unsuspecting man to lie down in a bedroom, then robbed him of cash and forced him to unlock his cellphone and access his digital wallet. .
While the other gunman held the victim at gunpoint, prosecutors allege Partito went to the ATM and attempted to make a withdrawal using Grindle's cell phone.
The two alleged thieves then recovered the man's jewelry and credit cards before leaving.
“The next day, Chase notified the victim that someone had attempted to use his debit card at one of his branches in Rogers Park. The victim also reported that one of his cards was in the Far North “We also learned it was used at a gas station in Side and a liquor store in Waukegan,” the newspaper reported.
Police said surveillance footage from the liquor store shows Partito failing to make a purchase with the victim's digital wallet on June 29, then using one of the man's credit cards to complete the transaction. It is said that it was reflected in the image.
Even though that victim picked him out of a police line-up in July, Partito is said to have already victimized at least one person and was not arrested by police until late 2023.
Partito was ultimately arrested in December and charged with armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated unlawful restraint in the June incident, as well as charges of home invasion, kidnapping, possession of a stolen firearm, and other charges in connection with the incident. He was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. About October.
After recently hearing about Rogers Park's allegations, Judge Maria Kuriakos Schiesel detained Pertito as a threat to public safety.
No accomplices or other suspects have been charged at this time.
