Twelve people have been charged with the trafficking of fentanyl-laced drugs, including heroin and cocaine, in the southern part of Chicago. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced the charges on Wednesday, which are part of the city’s multi-year Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.
Law enforcement arrested and charged two drug trafficking organizations for supplying and selling fentanyl-laced drugs in the southern portion of the city. Authorities further seized nearly $400,000 in suspected illicit cash proceeds, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and luxury cars, along with a custom-built motorcycle.
Among the twelve charged are Ronald Johnson, 57, of Darien, Sulstine Brown Robinson, 69, of Chicago, Charles Lawrence, 48, of Chicago, and Darrell Jones, 58, of Chicago, who have been charged with conspiracy. Lawrence is also facing a charge of possession of a firearm.
Troy Bonaparte, 58, of Chicago, is additionally charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute. Johnson is believed to be the “large scale supplier” of multiple narcotics, as he was observed by law enforcement making several cocaine sales in the summer and fall of 2022.
Law enforcement found out that Johnson allegedly provided a woman with about $300,500 in suspected drug proceeds out of an apartment in the city’s Oakland neighborhood in December 2022. Johnson was allegedly caught with the cash, which was stuffed in a duffel bag, during a different police stop. Robinson is also facing charges as law enforcement stopped a car driven by him in Rock County, Wisconsin, and discovered he had transported about seven kilograms of suspected cocaine from Chicago in January.
These twelve defendants could face serious degrees of punishment, up to life in prison, and are currently making their first appearances in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charges and arrests emphasizes the need for continued large-scale law enforcement operations to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks.
With infromation from CBS NEWS CHICAGO
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