A Batavia man has been sent to prison for his role in a drug trafficking scheme that involved dozens of interstate trips and thousands of pounds of marijuana.

Richard G. Ecklund, 50, of the 2700 block of Sperry Court, Batavia, was sentenced Tuesday by Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. In addition, Ecklund was ordered to pay a statutory fine of $2,696,760, which is equivalent to the street value of the marijuana that Ecklund pleaded guilty to trafficking.

On Aug. 22, 2014, Ecklund pleaded guilty to cannabis trafficking, a Class X felony.

During the plea and sentencing hearings, prosecutors presented evidence that in early November 2012, Ecklund and co-defendants Matthew Westerlin, 30, of the 300 block of Hiscock Street, Earlville, IL; Crystal Westerlin, 31, of the 300 block of Hiscock Street, Earlville, IL; and Dean A. Dziuba, 57, of the 1100 block of Lodgepole Court, Darien, IL, drove to Arizona in two cars. There they acquired 600 pounds marijuana with a street value of nearly $2.7 million, and returned it to Kane County, Illinois. Authorities had information about the trafficking operation, stopped the returning vehicles in the Aurora area and discovered the contraband. The four were placed under arrest.

The investigation revealed that Ecklund, the Westerlins, who are married, and Dziuba, along with Ecklund’s wife, co-defendant Mary L. Nunez, 59, of the 2700 block of Sperry Court, Batavia, had been engaged in a marijuana trafficking operation for 3½ years. Richard Ecklund had made 36 trips to Arizona to transport marijuana back to northern Illinois and northern Indiana. The Westerlins and Dziuba had accompanied him on various trips, and the Westerlins brought their young children along on at least one of the trips. Nunez’s role was to coordinate travel for the group of traffickers.

Over the 36 trips, Ecklund’s criminal organization transported at least six tons – possibly as much as 11 tons – of marijuana to northern Illinois and northern Indiana.

Richard Ecklund’s case is the last to reach a disposition.

Dziuba pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, a Class 1 felony, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Matthew Westerlin pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, a Class X felony, and was sentenced to prison.

Crystal Westerlin pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, a Class 2 felony, and was sentenced to prison.

Nunez pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, a Class 2 felony, and was sentenced to prison.

“Mr. Ecklund made many drug runs, at least one with young children in the car, so that he and the dangerous, large-scale drug dealers he was working for could reap millions of dollars in profits. Mr. Ecklund knew he was taking great risks, delivered thousands of pounds of drugs into our community, and now he’s serving a long prison sentence,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said.

SOURCE: Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office

“I want to recognize the North Central Narcotics Task force for its great work, and for the risks it takes in trying to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our neighborhoods.”

According to Illinois law, Ecklund is eligible for day-for-day sentencing. He was given credit for at least 714 days served in the Kane County jail, where he has been held since his arrest in lieu of $500,000 bail.

The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Schwertley.