Police Raid Waukegan ‘Crack Factory’

Two people charged in what Lake County officials say may be the largest seizure in the state

BY TONY GORDON
Daily Herald Legal Affairs Writer
July1, 2004

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“Dealers generally do not have that much crack cocaine

on hand at any one time.”

Dan Shanes, assistant state’s attorney

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Lake County authorities believe they have seized the largest amount of crack cocaine in a single raid in the history of the state.

Agents of the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and Waukegan police stormed a condominium in Waukegan late Tuesday and discovered what one official described as a ‘crack factory” .

Close to 2½ pounds of crack cocaine, formed by cooking powdered cocaine in a mixture of other chemicals, was discovered in the home at 1655 Beach Road, Assistant State’s Attorney Dan Shanes said.

An additional five pounds of powder cocaine, many laboratory burners and glassware and more than $40,000 in cash hidden inside a panel of an interior door was also found, Shanes said.

Brandy Johnson, 25, who police said lives in the condo, and Jeffrey Collier, 33, of 2410 Cannel Blvd., were arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver.

Shanes said the amount of crack cocaine seized was especially significant because the drug is usually prepared in much smaller quantities.

“Dealers generally do not have that much crack cocaine on hand at any one time,” Shanes said. “It is sold in small quantities, so people usually only prepare what is needed to be sold over a short period of time.”

Shanes said he and other people familiar with the case could not recall a seizure of any amount anywhere in Illinois approaching what was taken from the condo.

The total street value of the drugs seized is between $500,000 and $750,000, Shanes said.

Police believe the crack cocaine was prepared inside the condo.

“Our officers are familiar with what a standard crackhouse looks like on the inside,” Shanes said. “They were telling me that this was a crack factory.”

The investigation of Johnson and Collier has been going on for several months, he said. Police say Johnson sold an undercover agent seven grams of powder cocaine April 19.

On June 1, police said a second sale of seven grams was made and said Johnson sold an undercover agent an ounce of cocaine late Tuesday afternoon.

Shanes said Johnson was taken into custody immediately after the sale and a search warrant was obtained for her residence after the arrest.

Collier was arrested because he was in the condo when police arrived with the search warrant, Shanes said, and the drugs and cooking materials were in plain view. During the search of the residence, police said they found $40,766 in cash hidden inside a panel of a door and Coffler had an additional $492 on him.

Associate Judge Victoria Martin ordered both suspects held on $250,000 bond after a hearing Wednesday morning.

Shanes said both face mandatory prison sentences of between 15 and 60 years if they are convicted of the charges.