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Former Waukegan hoops star charged with beating woman

Former Waukegan High School and University of Illinois basketball standout Jereme Richmond was charged Tuesday with beating a woman and threatening her with a gun.

Richmond, 19, and Matthew Riley, 22, of North Chicago, were arrested Monday afternoon outside the victim's house after police found a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol in the car the men had driven.

After a stellar high school career at Waukegan, Richmond went on to Champaign, but left the team after his freshman year in order to enter the NBA draft.

No team drafted Richmond, however, and many speculated he had attempted to move to the professional level before he was ready.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Stephen Scheller said Richmond and the 17-year-old woman had a dating relationship that had soured in recent weeks.

On Sunday, Scheller said, the woman drove to Richmond's residence on the 2000 block of Arthur Drive in Waukegan to retrieve her cellphone.

The two began to argue outside Richmond's house, Scheller said, and Richmond shoved the woman back into her car during the ruckus.

Monday afternoon, Scheller said, Richmond and Riley drove to the woman's house and Richmond began to argue with her again as her mother looked on.

At one point, Scheller said, Richmond spit on the woman and said he was going to shoot her.

Richmond turned back toward the car where Riley was seated and was searching for something when a Waukegan police car came on to the scene.

Police found the weapon in the car and took both men into custody.

Richmond is charged with aggravated battery for the Sunday incident and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and battery in the Monday matter.

He faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted in both cases, but would also be eligible for probation.

Riley is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Associate Judge Raymond Collins set bond for both at $100,000 and ordered them to appear in court Aug. 18.

Matthew Ellis Riley was arrested on Monday and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.