The owner of a now-closed smoke shop in downtown McHenry has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to jail time after he was caught with a variety of drugs by a narcotics task force.
Michael H. Brill, 70, of Holiday Hills, was charged in February 2025 with possession of LSD with intent to deliver, manufacturing or delivery of 2,000-5,000 grams of cannabis, possession of LSD, manufacturing or delivery of cocaine, possession of 2,000-5,000 grams, seven counts of possession of a controlled substance, illegal possession of ammunition and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Brill was found on February 11, 2025, with over 15 units of LSD, over 2,000 grams of cannabis, 7.9 grams of cocaine, MDMA, 4.6 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and over 30 pills of Xanax.
He was also found with four .380 auto bullets and one WRA 66 bullet while not having a Firearm Owner’s Identification card, the complaint said. Three digital scales containing a white powdery residue were also found.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force investigated the case and arrested Brill.
He was transported to the McHenry County Jail and McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted a petition to detain him pending trial.
She said there were no conditions of release that could mitigate the dangerousness Brill poses to the community through the distribution of narcotics.
An attorney for Brill argued for his release, saying that he had no criminal history since 1987, was a business owner in McHenry County and had been diagnosed with skin cancer that requires periodic treatment.
Brill owned Cloud 9 Smoke Shop, 3421 Pearl Street in McHenry, and was in the process of selling the business at the time of his arrest. He reportedly sold the building for $435,000.
Cloud 9 Smoke Shop is now permanently closed, according to the business’s Google listing.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Garrett Miller said the narcotics were found during a search warrant at Brill’s home.
Miller argued that the level of drugs found poses an “incredible threat” to the community.
“It’s nothing short of a conspiracy against the public,” Miller said during an initial court hearing, adding that there was evidence he attempted to distribute the drugs.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Justin Neubauer said the search warrant was obtained after a confidential informant reported that Brill was selling drugs out of his residence.
Court records show Brill entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office earlier this month.
He pleaded guilty to one count of possession of 15-200 objects of LSD, a Class 1 felony, in exchange for the rest of his charges being dismissed.
Brill was sentenced to 120 days in the McHenry County Jail and two years of probation pursuant to the agreement.
Brill will receive day-for-day credit on the sentence and will also receive 34 days of additional credit. He was ordered to pay $4,290 in court fines and fees.
Brill was additionally ordered to obtain a substance abuse evaluation and follow all recommended treatment.