From left to right: Darian Williams of Elgin, Nathan Lake of Hampshire, Clarence Sanders of Chicago, Kieere Evans of Elgin and Darius Douglas of Elgin. (CREDIT: Kane County Sheriff’s Office)

A Special Investigations Unit led by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division and the South Elgin Police Department arrrested five men on drug charges Thursday (June 29, 2017) after a six-week sting in South Elgin.

According to a Thursday news release from the Sheriff’s Office, the investigation into a local narcotics distribution network culminated Thursday, after a search warrant was executed in the 1200 block of Sandhurst Lane in South Elgin, and several coordinated arrests took place during the early morning hours of June 29 at locations “throughout Kane County.”

In the course of the arrests, law enforcers seized 27 grams of suspected heroin with an estimated street value of $1,200 and about 100 grams of cannabis. Preliminary testing showed some of the suspected heroin was fentanyl, the deadly narcotic that is known to be laced in heroin, the Sheriff’s Office said.

“A single dose of heroin laced with fentanyl can lead to a fatal overdose for a user,” Kane County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Director Pat Gengler said in the news release.

The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office authorized the following charges against these five men:

• Darian Williams, 29, of the 1200 block of Sandhurst Lane, South Elgin, was charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class 2 felony, and Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Class 4 felony. Bond is set at $50,000, and his next court date is July 12 in Room 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center, 37W777 IL Route 38, St. Charles.
• Nathan Lake, 26, of the 44W000 block of  Plank Road, Hampshire was charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class 1 felony, and Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Class 4 felony. Bond is set at $50,000, and his next court date is July 13 in Room 313 of the Kane County Judicial Center.
• Clarence Sanders, 26, of the 400 block of S. Hamlin Ave., Chicago, was charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class X felony, and Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Class 1 felony. Bond is set at $75,000, and his next court date is July 12 in Room 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center.
• Kieere Evans, 20, of the 1200 block of Sandhurst Lane, South Elgin, was charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class 3 felony, and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor. He was released on bond, and his next court date is July 19 in Room 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center.
• Darius Douglas, 26, of the 1100 block of Manchester, South Elgin, was charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, a Class 2 felony. His bond is set at $50,000, and his next court date is July 5 in Room 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center.

“These arrests are only part of the overall mission of the heroin initiative,” Gengler said. “An important component of the initiative is to help people address their addiction.”

A sixth person detectives interviewed in connection with these arrests was scheduled to start rehabilitation treatment the day of the arrests. That subject was allowed to start his scheduled treatment with the hope that he is able to get on the road to recovery, Gengler said.

The case remains under investigation.

The charges against these five subjects are not proof of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

SOURCE: Kane County Sheriff’s Office news release