BLOOMINGTON, IL — It was just after work. A woman was walking to her car, minding her own business, when a stranger appeared — and pressed a black handgun directly to her head.
“Give me everything,” he told her. “Or I’ll kill you.”
That terrifying moment on the corner of North Prairie and Douglas streets in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, has now led to a 12-year prison sentence for the man responsible.
Giovanni A. Mauna, 22, of Whiting, Indiana, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery — a Class 1 felony — before Judge William Yoder in McLean County Court. He was sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Correction, with credit for 370 days already served.
The robbery happened on November 12, 2024, as the victim was leaving work. She noticed distinctive tattoos on the man’s hands and later identified Mauna through a photo lineup.
What helped crack the case? Mauna allegedly tried to add the victim’s stolen credit and debit card information to his own Cash App account — using a Bloomington IP address. Prosecutors said that digital trail led police straight to him.
Mauna had originally faced an armed robbery charge — a more serious Class X felony — but Assistant State’s Attorney David Rossi dismissed that charge after the guilty plea. He will also serve one year of mandatory supervised release after completing his sentence.
The case is a reminder that digital footprints can be just as damning as physical evidence — and that crimes caught on record rarely go unpunished.
