Harrah's Hotel Terror: Joliet Man Found Guilty After Jury Trial

JOLIET — A 29-year-old Joliet man from the 1000 block of Rooney Drive will be heading off to prison in October after a Will County jury found him guilty of several violent crimes last Friday at the courthouse.

Marquel Jimerson was found guilty of robbery, intimidation of a witness and three counts of domestic battery. His trial happened in the Will County Courtroom of Judge Art Smigielski. The sentencing and any post trial motions will be held Oct. 22.

According to Lisa Las of the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow, at around 11:25 p.m. Feb. 6, a 46-year-old woman reported to Joliet Police that her ex-boyfriend, Marquel Jimerson, had beaten her earlier in the night while she was staying at Harrah’s Casino in Joliet.

Trial testimony established that as the woman left the hotel room, she saw Jimerson coming down the hotel hallway, threatening to kill her. Jimerson forced his way inside the room, pushing the woman to the ground and punching her about the head and body.

Jimerson asked where the woman kept her money and went through the victim’s purse, ultimately taking personal identification documents and cash.

An eyewitness told police that after repeatedly striking the victim, Jimerson threatened both of them, vowing he would kill them if they contacted the police. The eyewitness escaped the hotel room and contacted hotel security, who responded to the room with assistance of the Joliet Police Department.

Officers and hotel security entered the room and found the Jimerson hiding behind the door.

At the Joliet Police Station, officers saw injuries to the victim’s arms, face, head, and scratch marks on her back.

Jimerson is eligible for an extended prison sentence of three to 14 years on the robbery count, a mandatory prison sentence of two to 10 years for the intimidation charge, and one to six years for the domestic battery counts.