A man faces up to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of shooting a Waukegan store clerk in the face in 2022.
A Lake County jury found Kaleb Brown, 23, guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm for the Feb. 4, 2022, shooting at the Dollar General Store.
Authorities said the 19-year-old clerk was shot as he tried to prevent someone suspected of shoplifting from re-entering the store. The victim suffered severe facial injuries but survived the shooting.
Following an investigation, detectives identified Brown as the person responsible. Brown was charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm. He was taken into custody on July 14 and transported to the Lake County jail, where he has remained leading up to the trial.
“A hard-working young man was trying to do his job, and the defendant shot him in the face for it,” Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Kalcheim-Rothenberg told jurors during closing arguments.
“Our experienced Violent Crimes Unit prosecutors, along with our investigators, victim specialists, and support staff have once again secured justice for the victim who endured a senseless, violent attack,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “Now, this offender has been held accountable and will face the full consequences of his actions at sentencing.”
Brown is due back in court in late January, when a sentencing date could be set.
Judges to visit schools
Lake County judges will be fanning out to classrooms in this corner of the Land of Lincoln to encourage reading and to celebrate the life and legacy of our nation’s 16th president.
In February, judges will be going to grade schools to read and deliver programs based on the book “Abe Lincoln’s Hat.” In addition to the Lincoln book, judges will be donating additional books to school libraries and classrooms, including “Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman” by Monica Kulling; “George Washington and the General’s Dog” by Frank Murphy; “I am Sonia Sotomayor (Ordinary People Change the World)” by Brad Meltzer; and “Who Is Ketanji Brown Jackson?” by Shiela P. Moses.
The program is the brainchild of the Illinois Judges Association and is intended to build a love of reading in children in grades K-4.
“Too many school children are not reading at grade level,” said 2nd District Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok, former president of the Illinois Judges Association. “This reading deficiency affects student learning and contributes to the high school dropout rate.
“Our reading project is one small step, which we hope will inspire young students to appreciate the value of books as they learn a little about history and our system of justice directly from a sitting judge,” she said.
Interested schools can email courtsoutreach@lakecountyil.gov to arrange for a judge to visit a Lake County classroom and read one of the books.
Body dumped
An Elmhurst man has been charged in the killing of a woman whose body was found earlier this month near Wadsworth, according to authorities.
The body of Claudia Mojarrieta-Matos, 21, of Greenacres, Florida, was found about 40 feet from the intersection of Adams and Delany roads on Dec. 7 at about 6 p.m. An autopsy showed death from stabbing, according to the coroner’s office.
DuPage County authorities said Santino Ortiz, 22, has been charged with the woman’s killing. Authorities said Mojarrieta-Matos had met Ortiz at about 1 a.m. on Dec. 6 near Ortiz’s residence, reportedly to engage in sex for money.
A man who dropped off the woman said she called him about 15 minutes later and heard sounds of a struggle. The man called 911, and a police investigation led to Ortiz.
Police allege he stabbed the woman to death in his garage before driving her body to Lake County and leaving it in a wooded area.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/12/law-order-column-man-convicted-of-shooting-waukegan-clerk/
