Police Seize Heroin, Remove Young Child From Algonquin Drug House

 An Algonquin couple faces several drug charges following a five-month investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

Arrest warrants were served Friday for Heather L. Vasil, 23, and Paul S. Benzinger, 28, at their home in the 1000 block of Oak Lane in Algonquin. During a search Friday, police rseized 7.6 grams of heroin, 1.3 grams of marijuana, $896 in cash and multiple drug paraphernalia items and also removed a 2-year-old child from the home and turned that child over to a relative, according to a McHenry County Sheriff’s Office press release. The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) was notified.

During the course of their investigation, detectives seized an additional 8.5 grams of heroin from the couple, according to the news release. 

Police also arrested Zachary D. Armijo, 25, who was a roommate of the couple. He is charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a class 1 felony; three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a class 4 felony; and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Vasil and Benzinger faces the following charges:

• Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance w/in 1000 ft. of a Park (class X)
• Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance (class 1)
• Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (class 4)
• Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (class A)
• Endangering the Life of a Child (class A)