Eight people have been arrested in connection to gang-related drug and gun offenses following a lengthy investigation that occurred in Lake County and the surrounding Chicago area.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the arrests and charges Friday, which he said is the result of an ongoing investigation involving illegal firearm and drug sales throughout several Chicagoland counties.
Raoul charged eight suspects as part of the joint investigation between his office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Chicago Field Division (ATF), the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Aurora Police Department.
Cordveel Davis, 24, of Glendale Heights, appeared in bond court Thursday and is charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and two counts of unlawful sale or delivery of a firearm.
“Illegal gun and drug sales fuel gang activity and make our neighborhoods less safe,” Raoul said.
“I will continue to partner with federal entities and local law enforcement agencies in an effort to work collaboratively with all levels of government to address gun trafficking and violence in our communities,” he said.
An ATF investigation uncovered known suburban gang members and their associates involved in illegally selling drugs and guns, Raoul said.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the Lake County Special Investigations Group (SIG) was heavily involved in the investigation.
Several controlled buys with undercover detectives from the SIG, ATF and other federal agencies took place in Lake County over several months, Covelli said.
“It is through close collaboration with our federal, state and local partners that we achieve successful operations such as this,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.
“It is our priority in Lake County to seek and arrest drug traffickers, violent offenders and seize their dangerous drugs and illegally possessed firearms. We have a zero-tolerance approach to violence and illegal drug sales. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will continue making these investigations a priority to keep the county safe,” Idleburg added.
Seven others were charged in addition to Davis, the attorney general’s office said.
Steven Jordan, 47, of Aurora, was charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, four counts of unlawful use or possession of weapons by a felon, two counts of unlawful sale or delivery of a firearm and two counts of armed habitual criminal.
Derrick Jordan, 46, of Aurora, was charged with two counts of unlawful use of weapons by a felon.
David Stewart, 39, of Aurora, was charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
Robert McBride, 43, of Aurora, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of armed habitual criminal, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and two counts of unlawful delivery of firearms.
Clifford Carter, 34, of Bensenville, was charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful sale of an unserialized firearm.
Huriel Hernandez, 24, of Bensenville, was charged with five counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, three counts of unlawful sale or delivery of a firearm and one count of gunrunning.
Emarrion Pittman, 20, of Montgomery, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
“Working closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to hold trigger pullers and firearms traffickers accountable is ATF’s mission,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division Jeffrey Matthews.
“We will continue to investigate these cases and appreciate the Illinois Attorney General’s office’s commitment to prosecute them,” Matthews said.
Aurora Police Chief Keith Cross called the charges a “major accomplishment” for all of the agencies involved.
“The Aurora Police Department values its partnerships with our local, county, state and federal agencies and will continue to work with them to keep our communities safe,” Cross said.