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A Joliet man has been charged with harassing a witness in a robbery case by offering money and claiming that he had recordings that could incriminate the witness, court records show.
On May 15, a grand jury in Will County returned an indictment against Amarion Denwiddie, 23, that charged him with harassment of a witness, attempted bribery and communicating with a witness.
Denwiddie is accused of harassing a witness who is the boyfriend of the victim Denwiddie allegedly robbed Oct. 24, 2024, in Joliet.
Denwiddie was charged with aggravated robbery, theft and intimidation after a police investigation of the latter incident.
The latest charges alleged that Denwiddie used the assistance of a third party to contact the witness to offer money and indicate that he had recordings that could intimidate the witness if he testifies in court.
During the Oct. 24, 2024, robbery incident, the witness and his girlfriend met with Denwiddie in Joliet after she arranged to sell her iPhone to Denwiddie through Facebook Marketplace, prosecutors said.
After Denwiddie and the witness’ girlfriend had a conversation about the phone, she handed him the device so he could check it out, prosecutors said.
“After several minutes of looking at the phone, [Denwiddie] said, ‘Thanks for the free phone,’ and took off running toward the back of 900 Richards St.,” prosecutors said.
The witness chased after Denwiddie and caught up to him, but Denwiddie brandished a handgun, prosecutors said.
Since Denwiddie turned 18 in 2020, he has pleaded guilty to robbery, mob action, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and harassment of a witness, court records show.