A 47-year-old man was arrested after sheriff’s deputies found approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, worth an estimated $250,000, in his car during a traffic stop in McHenry County.
Joel Martel-Nevarez, 47, of Aurora, was charged with manufacturing or delivery of cocaine over 900 grams, a Class X felony, and one count of possession of over 900 grams of cocaine, a Class 1 felony.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Brodersen said the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Martel-Nevarez on Thursday.
A narcotics-detecting canine was called and did a sweep around the vehicle.
The canine indicated the presence of illicit substances in the vehicle, Brodersen said.
A search was conducted and deputies recovered 10 kilograms, or 10,000 grams, of cocaine.
McHenry County prosecutors recently valued one kilogram of cocaine at $25,000, meaning the estimated value of the drugs is approximately $250,000.
Brodersen said the drugs were in five bulk packages.
Cocaine is typically sold in half-gram bags or 3.5-gram portions, Brodersen added.
The most serious charge against Martel-Nevarez is a “super” Class X felony, which carries a sentence of 15-60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt ordered Martel-Nevarez held on a $250,000 bond during a court hearing Friday.
Should the man be able to post the bond, the court would need to verify the source of the funds, according to a motion filed by prosecutors.
A bond review hearing for Martel-Nevarez is scheduled for Monday morning.
In March, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office made one of the largest fentanyl busts in McHenry County history.
Deputies recovered two kilograms of fentanyl in a truck during a traffic stop in Cary. Two men were arrested in that bust.