Chicago man accused of robbing off-duty sergeant during phone sale meetup

Of all the people to rip off in a Facebook Marketplace deal, Isaiah Williams is accused of picking one of the worst: an off-duty Chicago police sergeant.

Williams, 18, was arrested on September 26 after the would-be phone sale in West Town turned into a foot chase and scuffle. He is charged with robbery.

According to a CPD report, the 44-year-old sergeant, who works in the Near North (18th) District, had listed his iPhone 15 for sale on Facebook Marketplace and agreed to meet Williams in a parking lot near Grand and Western avenues, bringing his wife along.

Isaiah Williams (Chicago Police Department)

Williams asked to test the phone and took a picture of it, but the sergeant noticed him looking around as if planning to run, the report said. Moments later, according to the allegations, he did — sprinting across the street with the phone in hand.

The sergeant began chasing Williams, identifying himself as a police officer, and ordering him to stop, according to the report. At one point, a woman driving a Chevrolet SUV got out and tried to block the sergeant’s path, but she fled after he got around her, leaving Williams behind.

The sergeant caught up to Williams and retrieved the phone from his pocket, but CPD says Williams fought back, elbowing the officer in the face before on-duty officers arrived and took him into custody.

Prosecutors did not seek to detain Williams, and Judge John Hock released him to await trial.

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