Officers who stopped a stolen U-Haul truck arrested a 60-year-old man who prosecutors say was found with a large quantity of cocaine as well as over $2,000 in cash.
Alan W. Gates, 60, of Zion, was charged with manufacturing or delivery of cocaine, a Class X felony, and possession of cocaine, a Class 1 felony.
An officer with the Zion Police Department saw a stolen U-Haul at a BP gas station at 21st Street and Lewis Avenue in Zion on February 5.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Vukovich said the officer followed the U-Haul to the 1800 block of Jethro Avenue after it started moving.
A traffic stop was initiated on the U-Haul and Gates was seen in the passenger side of the truck.
The officers saw Gates reaching down on the floorboard grabbing something, Vukovich said.
Vukovich said Gates got out of the car and started moving his arms towards the ground. A canine unit was called and alerted to a spot under the truck where Gates was.
Officers searched underneath the vehicle and found a plastic bag with a large rock-like substance that field tested positive for cocaine weighing over 31 grams, Vukovich said.
Two smaller plastic bags were inside the larger bag. One of them contained a white powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine weighing eight grams and the second contained half a gram of suspected cocaine.
Vukovich said the average buyer of cocaine only purchases half a gram of cocaine. Gates was also found in possession of over $2,000 in cash.
This was at least the fifth time where Gates was arrested for manufacturing or delivery of drugs. He has previous cases from 1995, 1996, 2004 and 2013.
“The defendant has shown from his past there is nothing that will stop him from selling drugs,” Vukovich argued during a detention hearing.
A public defender for Gates said the man’s friend was giving him a ride home and Gates did not know the truck was stolen and the money he possessed was gambling proceeds.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition to detain Gates pending trial.
Gates, who remains held in the Lake County Jail, is scheduled to appear in court again on March 5 for a preliminary hearing.