Home Chicago Press Releases 2009 Seven Arrested in Kendall County Drug Sweep
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Seven Arrested in Kendall County Drug Sweep

FBI Chicago December 14, 2009
  • Special Agent Garrett Croon (312) 829-1199

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was joined today by Gary Hartwig, Special Agent-In-Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations; Jonathon E. Monken, Director of the Illinois State Police (ISP), and representatives from seven local law enforcement agencies in announcing the arrests late last week of seven men involved in a drug distribution ring centered in Kendall County.

The arrests were made on Thursday and Friday of last week and were the result of a two-year, multi-jurisdictional investigation, code named “Operation Dos Hermanos,” which targeted the distribution of controlled substances, primarily cocaine, in both Kendall and Kane counties in Illinois. The investigation incorporated the use of court authorized monitoring of telephones used by the targets of the investigation in the furtherance of their operation.

The arrests announced today were based on criminal complaints that were filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago charging four men with violation of federal drug laws. The complaint identified two brothers,  MARIO MELENDEZ, age 38, of 902 East Edgelawn Drive in Plano, Illinois, and ABEL CADENA-MARTINEZ, age 44, of 307 West Church Street also in Plano, Illinois, with importing wholesale quantities of cocaine into Kendall County, and which were subsequently sold to a number of customers. The complaint also alleges that MELENDEZ and CARDENA-MARTINEZ utilized their business, the Little Marketa General Store in Plano, as a headquarters for their drug distribution operation. 

The complaint also identifies JESUS CORRAL, age 34, of 91 West Jones Street in Plano as a regular customer of MELENDEZ and CARDENA-MARTINEZ while LAZARO MEDINA, age 37, of 432 South Michigan, Villa Park was identified as one of their suppliers.

Also arrested during last week’s sweep were RICKY WILSON, age 41, of 9312 Millbrook Road in Newark, Illinois; MANUEL GARIBAY, age 48, of 399 West Church Street in Plano, and ISMAEL NUNEZ, age 41, of 619 West Dearborn in Plano. WILSON was charged with violation of state drug laws while GARIBAY and NUNEZ were being held for violating immigration laws. All of the arrests were made without incident.

During the course of the investigation, in excess of ten (10) kilograms of cocaine was recovered, along with four weapons and a substantial amount of currency.

Those arrested on federal drug and immigration charges appeared before Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez in Chicago, at various times last week, where they were formally charged. All six federal defendants were ordered held without bond, pending their next scheduled court appearances, and will be housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago. Those charged with violation of Federal drug laws face a mandatory minimum sentence of up to ten (10) years' incarceration. WILSON appeared in DuPage County Circuit Court in Wheaton, where he is being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.

This case was investigated by a joint federal - state task force, comprised of FBI Special Agents, ICE Special Agents; Special Agents from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation Division; and officers from the ISP, the Kendall County Policing Assistance Team (KCPAT), the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oswego, Plano, Yorkville, and Villa Park Police Departments.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Copies of the criminal complaints filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.