Armarion McNeal
Courtesy of McHenry County sheriff’s office
A Chicago man admitted Thursday that he asked a woman outside an Algonquin store for a donation for “underprivileged children,” then increased her offering from $10 to $1,000.
Armarion J. McNeal, 26, pleaded guilty to theft by deception between $500 and $10,000, a Class 3 felony. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and two years probation, according to the judgment order in the McHenry County court.
Authorities said he approached a woman at about 1 p.m. May 17, 2024, in a retail area along Randall Road and told her he was “requesting donations to support the youth,” prosecutors said. The woman agreed to donate $10 using her debit card, but unbeknownst to her, McNeal put the transaction through for $1,000, the criminal complaint said.
In exchange for his guilty plea, two additional cases involving a similar scam were dismissed.
At McNeal’s first court hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Marin argued for detention and said McNeal was approaching “total strangers in a public way” and deceiving them.
At the time McNeal was charged in McHenry County, he was on probation for a conviction in Cook County for possession of a stolen vehicle, Marin said.
McNeal is required to serve half the jail time.
Gerald Steele is the founder of Stonegate Health Rehab. He shares expert insights, recovery tips, and rehab resources to support individuals on their journey to wellness.