A judge increased bond for a man charged with delivering fentanyl pills that caused the fatal overdose of a Crystal Lake man after prosecutors said he violated his bond conditions.
Ryan James, 26, of Crystal Lake, was charged in March with drug-induced homicide and calculated criminal drug conspiracy, both Class X felonies.
James was released from the McHenry County Jail on the charges days after his arrest after posting 10% of his $50,000 bond.
A judge ordered James to not use or consume alcohol, THC or controlled substances without a prescription.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Hudson said earlier this month that James tested positive for alcohol and fentanyl on November 15 and then again on January 11 during drug screens performed by pre-trial services.
Hudson said in a motion the state’s attorney’s office is asking for the court to increase James’ bond to $500,000.
A hearing on the motion was held on Wednesday and McHenry County Judge James Cowlin granted prosecutors’ request to increase bond.
James was remanded to the McHenry County Jail after Cowlin increased his bond to $150,000 bond. He would need to post an additional $10,000 to be released.
The charges against James stem from criminal complaints that allege he and Jacob Stealy, 25, of Crystal Lake, delivered fentanyl unlawfully to Colton G. Steiner, 27, of Crystal Lake, on June 23, 2021.
Steiner ingested the fentanyl and was later found dead. His death was ruled an overdose from fentanyl, court documents show.
The complaints also state that James, as part of a conspiracy with Lucious Hemphill, 21, of Maywood, and Stealy, delivered between one gram and 15 grams of a substance containing fentanyl between June 2021 and October 2021 in McHenry County.
James, Hemphill and Stealy allegedly made more than $500 from the conspiracy, the complaint said.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force interviewed James, who admitted he had been actively selling pressed fentanyl pills, according to a motion filed in court.
James told task force members that he had been purchasing approximately 100 fentanyl pills every one or two weeks from Hemphill, the motion said.
Task force members contacted Hemphill and arranged to have him bring 100 fentanyl pills to a designated location in December 2021.
Hemphill arrived at the location and officers found him in possession of 123 pills, which field-tested positive for fentanyl, court documents show.
Officers arrested Hemphill and he was charged with multiple counts of possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver. He was later released after posting bond.
Hemphill was then charged in May with calculated criminal drug conspiracy.
James also told officers that Stealy would sometimes drive him to meet Hemphill, and Stealy would pick up drugs on James’ behalf, the motion said.
A McHenry County judge signed an arrest warrant for James in February 2022 and he was taken into custody and released on bond in March.
A judge also issued arrest warrants for Hemphill and Stealy for their new charges.
Stealy, who was charged in May with drug-induced homicide and calculated criminal drug conspiracy, was arrested and released on bond.
Hemphill was arrested in January by the Rock Island Sheriff’s Office and transported to the McHenry County Jail.
He remains held on a $325,000 bond, jail records show.