Joy “Joyce” J. Forbes, 44, of Chicago, was arrested Friday in Chicago and transported back to La Salle County, where she is charged with one count of criminal drug conspiracy, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession of a controlled subtance, a Class 4 felony.Forbes is cited with having in her possession less than 15 grams of a substance containing heroin.Two other defendants still are at large today, with their arrests expected soon, noted Brian Viscogni, La Salle County's first assistant state's attorney.“We're looking for both of them,” he said Monday. “I don't think they can dodge us for too long.” Their names will be released following the arrests.
Forbes joins 13 other La Salle County and Chicago area residents in the county jail on 91 counts in connection with the drug conspiracy investigation.
Bond is $250,000 on each, Viscogni said.During the investigation known as "Operation Lean In, Lock ‘Em Up,"authorities seized or purchased 79.21 grams of heroin, with an estimated value of $1,584, as well as 25.71 grams of cocaine, estimated at $5,141. Two vehicles, two guns, and $2,141 in currency were also seized. The name of the investigation refers to a song on a MySpace Web page.The song, to a certain extent, taunts the Illinois State Police Zone Three Task Force, County State's Attorney Brian Towne said during a press conference Wednesday at the Etna Road Courthouse.
Towne said arrests of still other individuals are possible later, and that more counts are likely."Hands down, No. 1," he said in ranking the conspiracy operation on a scale of one to 10."To my knowledge, we have never, in the history of the La Salle County State's Attorney's office, had this many people charged with this large a conspiracy," he noted."I'm not aware of any other place in the state where this is being done, with exception of Cook County. Which is why we enlisted their agents in the preparation of this investigation and criminal information for the indictments to follow."Towne said William A. Bradley, 35, operator of Skin Scribe Tattoos, 215 W. Madison St., Ottawa, was arrested on charges of criminal drug conspiracy and unlawful use of a building."Someone had knowledge heroin and or cocaine were being distributed out of (Skin Scribe Tattoos) or the building was used to package those substances for distribution at other locations," Towne said.He said the county has not undergone any forfeiture proceedings on the building at this point.
Also charged in one or more counts of criminal drug conspiracy and illegal possession of and/or intent to deliver a controlled substance are Melissa A. Lobb, 22, 125 E. Lafayette St., Ottawa; Darnell C. Smith, 22, La Salle; and Paul L. Forbes and Michael K. Goldsmith, both 19, Streator.Also, Calvin L. Merritte, 23; Clarence Meritte, 24; Aaron M. Flex, 17; Johnny Q. Andrews, 19; and Joy Forbes, 44, all of Chicago; and Kwame Ridle, 17, University Park.The most serious offenses are criminal drug conspiracy, a Class X, non-probationable felony with six to 30 years in prison. Delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and unauthorized permitted use of a building are Class 4 felonies, ranging from one to 15 years in prison.
All 91 counts involve drug-related activity in La Salle County.
Some of those charged as part of the investigation were already in the county jail on unrelated matters. Others, with exception of the three previously noted, were arrested April 1.
The investigation centered around individuals prominent in MySpace Web pages - a group known as the Da Hittaz - bringing narcotics, specifically heroin and cocaine, from Chicago to La Salle County.
"They were Chicago and Cook County residents using La Salle County residents to assist them in their undercover or illegal activities," Towne said.
The investigation into the operation began in October 2007.
"In 2006, we saw them coming from Chicago and began to watch them," Towne said. "We started to develop the sense a conspiracy was going on."
The investigation was initiated as a joint effort by the ISP Zone Three Task Force, LCSA office under direction of Deputy State's Attorney Brian Vescogni, La Salle County Sheriff's Department, Cook County State's Attorney's office and Sheriff's Department, and the Ottawa, La Salle, Peru, Streator and Chicago police departments.
Authorities began checking after they noticed the same people in the vehicles and houses searched when heroin and cocaine were seized by the Task Force and LCSA's office.
The Task Force made controlled buys of heroin and cocaine, then executed search warrants for a number of locations in La Salle County and Chicago areas.
Towne said women - also known as trappers - brought in packaged and unpackaged drugs from the Chicago area by hiding the substances on their bodies. The trappers then gave the drugs to the dealers to sell. By this means, drugs and money were not transported by the same person.
He said La Salle County has a very large problem with controlled drugs and substances because of the nearness to Chicago via Interstates 80 and 55.
"It is a huge problem, specifically heroin and cocaine," he noted.
Towne said some of those charged were not involved just for the money. Addiction was a part of it as well, he said.
All those arrested will go before the La Salle County Grand Jury on Tuesday, April 15. Indictments would be returned on Friday, April 18.
"We believe we've been very successful in cracking this ring," he said. "This organization, to a certain extent, was flaunting their activities in the face of law enforcement for some time."
Towne said it took countless hours, days, and weeks to put the investigation together, and that the agencies did a very good job making sure the entire organization has been brought to justice.
He said authorities believe they succeeded in eliminating the organization. Even so, he said, other drug-related organizations will move in to take their place.
Vescogni said Monday his office wants to try all the defendants together because a single conspiracy is apparently involved.
“It would be a problem if they all want a jury trial because we don't have a place big enough to hold them” he said.
He said a location such as the Ottawa Township High School gymnasium is a possibility.
“We hope to come to trial this summer,” Viscogni said. “There will be a lot of discovery motions to file first. We'll be prepared to try this case.”
Viscogni said the conspiracy concept of the case was extremely time-consuming.
“You need the manpower to do it,” he said, noting La Salle County is the only county in the state outside of Cook County to utilize the concept.
“Almost all the Drug Task Force was working on it.”
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