The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that a convicted felon and gang member is being held on a $1 million bond after he allegedly sold cocaine and bought guns from undercover detectives.
Malcolm J. Brown, 31, of the 2700 block of West Lexington Avenue in Chicago, was charged with three counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, six counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful possession of a machine gun by a felon.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Chicago Field Division concluded an undercover operation into Brown.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that Brown had numerous discussions with detectives in March about selling cocaine and buying firearms. Brown was suspected of dealing drugs in numerous counties in northern Illinois, Covelli added.
Brown allegedly sold undercover detectives over 60 grams of cocaine at a location in Lake County and on another occasion he allegedly sold over 65 grams of cocaine at a location in Will County, Covelli said.
On a third occasion, Brown sold over 75 grams of cocaine and purchased three firearms from an undercover ATF agent on Thursday in Will County. He was arrested at that time and found to be in possession of an additional 140 grams of cocaine.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is leading the prosecution because Brown committed crimes in more than one county. The Illinois Department of Corrections has also issued a parole violation warrant for Brown.
Brown’s bond was set at $1 million following a bond hearing in Will County. He is scheduled to appear in court again April 2.
“This is what our Special Investigations Group is all about, collaborating with other local, regional, and federal law-enforcement to keep drugs off our streets and firearms out of the hands of dangerous felons. Kudos to all of our first-responders who continue to work, keeping the community safe amid the Coronavirus pandemic,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.