Algonquin Man Arrested In State, Federal Drug Bust

CHICAGO, IL — More than 50 people, including a 34-year-old Algonquin man, are facing criminal charges as part of a joint federal and state investigation into heroin and fentanyl sales on Chicago's West Side. The investigation, dubbed "Operation Fat Chance," resulted in the seizures of more than three kilograms of heroin, more than a kilogram of cocaine and more than 230 grams of fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Eight illegal firearms were also seized, including a semi-automatic assault rifle with a drum barrel magazine, and more than $100,000 in proceeds from drug sales, prosecutors said.

According to the federal complaints, Thomas Barfield, 36, of Chicago, is a reputed street-gang member who operated a drug trafficking organization that used street-level distributors to sell heroin and fentanyl to customers. Many of the deals were carried out at an open-air drug market near the intersection of Homan Avenue and Douglas Boulevard in Chicago, the complaints state.

According to prosecutors, the sales were overseen by 28-year-old Charelle Thompson, 34-year-old Nicole Green, 60-year-old Gloria Anderson and 65-year-old Thomas Smith. Prosecutors said that 35-year-old Quiera Walls and 30-year-old Jarvis Payne assisted with the packaging and distribution of the drugs.

According to the complaints, undercover officers bought drugs from Smith, Anderson and other dealers, including 44-year-old Michael Jackson, 46-year-old Anton Brown and 54-year-old Alfred Johnson, prosecutors said.

In May, agents searched Barfield's home and three stash houses on the West Side of Chicago, seizing heroin, cocaine, a rifle, two handguns and drug-packaging materials, the complaints state.

According to the complaints, Hose Hernandez, 48, delivered a kilogram of cocaine to Obed Ornelas, 36, in front of a grocery store in the 4400 block of West Armitage in April, prosecutors said. The deal happened inside Ornelas' Ford Mustang, authorities said. When officers tried to pull over the Mustang, Ornelas sped off and tossed the bag of cocaine out of the driver's side window, prosecutors said. Officers recovered the bag in the 2400 block of North Kedzie Avenue, the complaints state. Ornelas also supplied Barfield with drugs, according to prosecutors.

Willie Kelley, 26, managed heroin sales at an open-air drug market near the intersection of Lexington Street and Sacramento Avenue, according to the complaints. Prosecutors said he's a reputed gang member.

According to the complaints, 34-year-old Darius Franklin of Algonquin and 26-year-old Jonathan Harris of Cicero distributed heroin to various customers. Agents searched Franklin's alleged stash house and recovered more than two kilograms of heroin and drug-packaging materials, prosecutors said. Franklin also provided heroin to Willie Kelley, according to the complaints.

Criminal complaints and affidavits filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago charge 15 defendants with various drug offenses. Detention hearings for some of the federal defendants will be held over the next week in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Forty two other defendants were charged in state complaints and have begun making initial appearances in Cook County Criminal Court.

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Written by Amber Fisher, Patch Staff