Trio of felons posed as police to abduct, rob wealthy suburban victims: feds

CHICAGO - A trio of convicted felons allegedly posed as police while abducting and robbing people at gunpoint in 2019.

Their victims included a Naperville business owner and other wealthy people targeted in other suburbs, including Westchester and South Holland, according to a federal indictment.

The defendants — Sedgwick Williams of Chicago, Ivan Ayers of Chicago, and Tai Hon La of Beach Park — allegedly disguised themselves as law enforcement with police radios, uniforms, bulletproof vests and “DEA” logos.

Their first abduction targeted an electronics store owner, whom they allegedly kidnapped outside his Naperville store Oct. 17, 2019, prosecutors said.

After placing him in handcuffs, Ayers allegedly texted someone, “Need somewhere to take him,” before driving the victim out of town and beating him, the indictment states. Besides causing him injuries that required a hospital stay, Ayers, 33, also tried to extort the man’s family, prosecutors said.

Meanwhile, the others allegedly ransacked the electronics store, stealing cash and merchandise, the indictment states.

In the second incident, Ayers and Williams, 43, used their Chevy Malibu — decked out with police lights and sirens — to pull over a victim in their Westchester driveway on Nov. 16, 2019, the indictment states.

They forced the victim back into the home, and forced the victim and another person inside into the basement, prosecutors said. Two others victims arrived at the home and were also taken to the basement at gunpoint, prosecutors said. The pair allegedly stole cash and jewelry before leaving the home.

In the last abduction, the trio drove from an apartment in the West Chatham neighborhood to their last victim’s home in South Holland on Dec. 11, 2019, the indictment states. La, 31, and another person allegedly walked up to the home with guns and tried to enter, but were unsuccessful.

Each of the men are charged with kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The kidnapping conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

Their arraignments are scheduled for Tuesday.