A drug trafficker was arrested following a lengthy undercover investigation after prosecutors say he “brought death” into McHenry County by selling almost 300 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Aaron D. Johnson, 30, of Crystal Lake, was charged with manufacturing or delivery of 100-400 grams of cocaine, manufacturing or delivery of 15-100 grams of heroin, manufacturing or delivery of 100-400 grams of fentanyl, possession of 100-400 grams of cocaine, possession of 15-100 grams of heroin and possession of 200+ grams of a controlled substance.
Johnson, who also has an address listed in Downers Grove, was arrested on the multiple felony charges following a lengthy undercover investigation conducted by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force.
The investigation spanned several months and involved an undercover officer who conducted multiple controlled purchases of illegal narcotics from Johnson, prosecutors said.
Investigators purchased significant quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl from him from May to July.
Law enforcement recovered over 30 grams of fentanyl mixed with cocaine and heroin, over 60 grams of fentanyl mixed with cocaine and almost 300 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills during the controlled buys, prosecutors said.
Investigators later arranged a larger narcotics transaction in which Johnson allegedly agreed to sell five ounces of cocaine, an ounce of heroin and 500 counterfeit M30 pills.
Members of the Narcotics Task Force carried out an arrest warrant on Thursday in Crystal Lake before that transaction could be conducted.
Prosecutors said investigators recovered from Johnson’s person approximately 40 grams of a substance containing cocaine and fentanyl, almost 30 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl and approximately 500 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl.
Officers recovered approximately 227 grams of fentanyl in total during the arrest.
Investigators carried out a search warrant at Johnson’s apartment in Crystal Lake following his arrest where his pregnant girlfriend and her 10-year-old son were present.
They recovered additional heroin, fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, narcotics packaging materials, scales, baggies, mixing equipment and a full-face respirator commonly used to protect against airborne fentanyl exposure while processing narcotics, prosecutors said.
Investigators also recovered a loaded firearm from inside the residence. The firearm was unsecured and located in a bedroom closet but he is not yet charged with any weapons offenses.
Narcotics processing equipment and controlled substances were located throughout the kitchen area within easy reach of children inside the home, prosecutors said.
McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Garrett Miller said in court on Friday that fentanyl is frequently mixed with other illicit drugs to increase potency, dramatically increasing the risk of fatal overdose.
Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and as little as two milligrams can be lethal.
Counterfeit M30 pills often contain unpredictable amounts of fentanyl, making even a single pill potentially deadly, Miller said.
Prosecutors said in court that Johnson regularly traveled to Arizona, maintained contacts in Arizona and Mexico, had a criminal history that included prior flight and escape-related offenses and had used fraudulent identities to obtain rental properties.
“This man didn’t just bring illegal drugs into McHenry County. He brought death to our county,” Miller said during the hearing.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb on Friday granted a petition to deny pre-trial release filed by the state’s attorney’s office after finding that Johnson posed a significant threat to the safety of the community and presented a serious risk of willful flight.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese praised the extensive investigation and said the case demonstrates the “relentless commitment our Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force has to removing this deadly poison from our communities before it claims more lives.”
“The quantities of fentanyl recovered during this investigation had the potential to cause immeasurable harm,” Freese said.
Johnson remains held in the McHenry County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on July 31.