A SWAT team raided a home daycare in North Chicago and arrested a drug trafficker who was selling meth out of the residence where a gun was also found accessible to children.
Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group (SIG) and SWAT team conducted a search warrant on Thursday morning in the 2100 block of Wright Avenue in North Chicago.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said SIG began the investigation after developing information that Delwin L. Hodge, 27, who lives in the home, was trafficking narcotics.
Detectives initiated an undercover operation and found Hodge was selling methamphetamine in Lake County.
Hodge sold over 200 grams of methamphetamine to undercover detectives during the operation, Covelli said.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for Hodge’s residence on Wright Avenue in North Chicago after the operation.
The SWAT team arrested Hodge during the warrant. Detectives found packaging materials for narcotics distribution in his bedroom.
Covelli said it appeared drugs were flushed down a toilet just prior to the entry of the SWAT team.
A firearm and ammunition were located inside the residence as well.
Detectives continue to investigate who the firearm belonged to since multiple people reside at the home, Covelli said.
Covelli said a daycare also operated out of the home where Hodge was selling drugs.
The firearm located was not secured and was accessible to children who would be at the home for daycare services, Covelli said. DCFS was notified of the situation.
Detectives reviewed the circumstances with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and they approved three counts of methamphetamine manufacturing, three counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and child endangerment.
Hodge was wanted at the time for an aggravated fleeing to elude case out of Waukegan that occurred on July 15.
Hodge was also on parole at the time of his arrest and the Illinois Department of Corrections has issued a parole violation warrant for him.
“It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to traffic dangerous drugs in our community, especially from a home where children are present,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“The fact that methamphetamine was being sold and a firearm was left accessible in a daycare environment is beyond reckless. I am proud of the outstanding work our Special Investigations Group and SWAT Team did to safely apprehend this individual and prevent further harm,” Idleburg said.
Hodge appeared for a First Appearance Court hearing on Thursday afternoon and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him in custody while awaiting trial.
While prosecutors and the sheriff both said a daycare was being operated out of the home, an attorney representing Hodge said the daycare previously was operated out of the home but was not operating from the home at the time of the allegations.
Hodge remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear on Friday afternoon for a detention hearing.