Two Chicago men have been arrested after police found them in possession of over 16 pounds of fentanyl and meth, worth almost $750,000, in McHenry County.
German A. Armenta-Ruiz, 59, of Chicago, and Jesus Benitez-Estrada, 42, of Chicago, were both charged with possession of meth over 900 grams, meth delivery over 900 grams, manufacturing or delivery of over 900 grams of fentanyl and possession of a controlled substance over 200 grams.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Armenta-Ruiz and Benitez-Estrada were found around 1:50 p.m. on Thursday with a large quantity of drugs.
Court documents said nearly 16.5 pounds of a substance containing methamphetamine and fentanyl was recovered.
The street value of the drugs is approximately $746,000.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office arrested the two men and transported them to the McHenry County Jail.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain Armenta-Ruiz and Benitez-Estrada pending trial.
Prosecutors argued the two pose a threat to the safety of the community.
The two appeared for initial appearance hearings before McHenry County Judge Carl Metz on Friday.
The judge granted the petitions to detain Armenta-Ruiz and Benitez-Estrada.
“The sheer quantity and lethal nature of fentanyl clearly demonstrates to the court that the defendant poses a threat to the safety of the community,” Metz said regarding both men.
Metz said home confinement and electronic monitoring would not notify law enforcement if the defendants came into possession of large amounts of drugs again.
“Given the large quantity of controlled substances found on defendant, an admonition would not be sufficient to mitigate the real and present threat of dangerousness the defendant poses to the community,” the judge said.
Armenta-Ruiz and Benitez-Estrada are set to appear for a status of preliminary hearing on Thursday morning.