Two men from Cook County were arrested after they allegedly sold fentanyl-laced cocaine to an undercover informant in McHenry County.
Ivan E. Ruiz, 36, of Cicero, and Jorge Barajas, 43, of Chicago Ridge, were charged with two counts of manufacturing or delivery of cocaine, two counts of manufacturing or delivery of fentanyl, two counts of possession of cocaine and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Ruiz and Barajas unlawfully delivered between 15-100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and cocaine in McHenry County.
The deliveries occurred on two separate occasions — May 8 and May 29.
Court documents said Ruiz and Barajas possessed the drugs in large amounts and delivered them to a police informant.
The cocaine was laced with fentanyl, a “compound of controlled substances known to cause overdose and death,” court documents said.
Ruiz and Barajas traveled a “considerable distance” to accomplish the drug sales in which they sold in excess of 25 grams during each transaction, court documents said.
Court records show the charges were filed against Ruiz and Barajas last month and warrants were obtained by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain Ruiz and Barajas pending trial following their arrests.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petition to detain Ruiz and said the defendant is a “real and present” threat as he was selling cocaine mixed with fentanyl.
“There is no condition or combination of conditions to mitigate the [defendant’s] threat to the community,” Lamb said.
“The court notes, that selling drugs can happen from a residence or anywhere, so electronic monitoring will not prevent him from causing future harm,” she added.
McHenry County Judge Carl Metz granted the petition to detain Barajas and said no conditions of release could mitigate the threat he poses. “Additionally, drug dealing can happen from a residence were the court to order electronic monitoring and house arrest.”
Ruiz and Barajas have both filed motions seeking to overturn the decision to have them held in custody.
Ruiz is scheduled to appear in court again on February 28 and Barajas is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday.