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Couple accused of running massive fentanyl, cocaine operation in Chicago's southwest suburbs
Feds say couple was running huge fentanyl and cocaine operation in southwest suburbs
Feds say couple was running huge fentanyl and cocaine operation in southwest suburbs
Feds say couple was running huge fentanyl and cocaine operation in southwest suburbs
Federal agents raided a house in the southwest Chicago suburb of Frankfort, Illinois, on Monday.
The owner is now accused of running a huge fentanyl operation, which landed him and his girlfriend behind bars.
The drug operation spans from Frankfort to Oak Lawn, and includes a storage unit in Alsip where drugs, weapons, and wads of cash were found, according to the feds.
According to a federal criminal complaint, James Howard, 32, and Shantel Robinson, 31, were behind a huge fentanyl and cocaine distribution operation.
Robinson lives in an apartment building off 95th Street and Ridgeland Avenue in Oak Lawn, right across from Chicago Ridge Mall. The federal complaint said Robinson's apartment was "being used as a drug laboratory."
The feds had suspected the pair of running the drug operation. They set up a hidden camera in a flowerpot outside Robinson's third-floor unit.
U.S. Department of Justice
Prosecutors said the camera spotted Howard coming out with a comforter he placed in the hallway. But inside the bag with the comforter were "1.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and approximately 850 grams of suspected cocaine from within the sheets," according to prosecutors.
"This seems to be a case of these subjects to being very bold and careless at the same time," said former FBI agent Phil Andrew.
An image shared by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Howard discovering the hidden camera in the flowerpot. But even after Howard "appeared to notice the camera at the top of the staircase, and momentarily ducked out of the frame," the feds said he did not stop the illegal operation, prosecutors said.
Andrew pointed out that Howard and Robinson hid in plain sight.
Agents raided Howard's house in Frankfort. The nearly $800,000 new-construction house was paid off in full despite Howard moving into the house just in April.
"Clearly, the point they're making in this complaint is that that is likely due to the ease of access to this drug money," Andrew said.
Prosecutors said they found an arsenal of weapons, along with cash and drugs, inside the Frankfort house.
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice
But the operation did not end there. It stretched to a storage facility in Alsip of 115th Street and Cicero Avenue.
It was there that the feds said additional drugs and weapons turned up.
Andrew pointed out that local agencies have continued working jointly to win the fight against drugs.
"Law enforcement — this is actually their bread and butter," he said.
Andrew pointed out that many criminals may believe federal agents are focusing their attention on immigration. But he said this case is proof that public safety is a high priority.
Howard and Robinson remained in federal custody Monday night.
