CHICAGO, IL – Three individuals from Chicago have been indicted on federal charges related to a ten-day crime spree that took place in September 2020. The defendants, Edson Resendez, Maverick Cela, and Prezila Apreza, are facing charges of carjacking, firearm offenses, and conspiracy.
The indictment, returned on Thursday, renews previous charges filed in 2022 against Resendez and Cela for conspiracy to commit carjackings and two counts of carjacking, as well as an additional count against Resendez for using a firearm during a crime of violence. Apreza has been added as a defendant in the new indictment, which also charges her, Resendez, and Cela with two other carjackings in Skokie and Berwyn, in addition to conspiracy and firearm offenses.
The alleged crime spree began on September 11, when Resendez and Cela stole a 2014 Chevy Sonic in Morton Grove. Over the following days, the group was involved in several carjackings and used stolen credit cards to make purchases at various establishments.
The situation escalated on September 21 when the group attempted to steal a car in Skokie and fired shots at a victim, leading to a fatal shooting in Chicago later that day. The defendants are currently in custody, and arraignments on the superseding charges have not been scheduled.
The federal indictment also contains a notice of special findings that could make the defendants eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Despite the abolition of capital punishment in the State of Illinois, the federal government retains the authority to impose the death penalty in all 50 states.