ALGONQUIN, IL — A Chicago man has pleaded guilty to scamming a woman outside a suburban store by falsely soliciting a donation for underprivileged children — and secretly charging her $1,000 instead of $10.
Armarion J. McNeal, 26, admitted to theft by deception involving between $500 and $10,000, a Class 3 felony. He was sentenced in McHenry County court to 180 days in jail and two years of probation, according to court records.
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. on May 17, 2024, along Randall Road in Algonquin. Authorities say McNeal approached a woman claiming he was collecting donations “to support the youth.” She agreed to give $10 via debit card, but McNeal allegedly processed the transaction for $1,000 without her knowledge.
In return for McNeal’s guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed two additional cases involving similar schemes.
At McNeal’s initial hearing, Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Marin argued against release, saying McNeal had been deceiving total strangers in public. Marin also noted that McNeal was already on probation in Cook County for a stolen vehicle conviction at the time of the Algonquin incident.
McNeal will be required to serve half of his 180-day jail sentence.
