Man Caught With 70 Kilos Of Cocaine: State's Attorney

WILLOWBROOK, IL — A Chicago man has been charged after he was in possession of 70 kilos of cocaine, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said in a release. Jose Martinez Gomez, 33, appeared at a bond hearing where bond was set at $2.5 million with 10 percent to apply. Martinez Gomez has been charged with one count of possession with intent to deliver, a Class X felony punishable by up to fifteen to sixty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The Attorney's Office said authorities with the Illinois State Police were conducting surveillance on a truck that exited I-55 on Kingery Highway on Dec. 17. The van pulled into a business that appeared to be closed at the time.

According to the State's Attorney's Office, after several hours, Martinez Gomez arrived at the business in a black van. Martinez Gomez then exited his van, entered the business and then returned to his van carrying some items. He then drove away from the business in his van.

The Attorney's Office said that a short time later, officers stopped Martinez Gomez. During the stop, officers observed Martinez Gomez with a knife between his legs and duct-taped bricks in boxes in the middle of the van. Martinez Gomez was taken into custody, and items taken from the van allegedly tested positive for cocaine.

“While we have made progress in our fight against illegal narcotics, the charges against Mr. Martinez Gomez remind us that we still have more work to do,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a release. “Thanks to the outstanding and continuous efforts of the Illinois State Police, seventy kilos of cocaine will not make it to our streets and more than $2 million in profits will not go into the pockets of those who peddle this poison."

Martinez Gomez’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 14 for arraignment in front of Judge Telander. Additionally, the defendant must prove that any monies used toward his bond were not obtained illegally. If found guilty Martinez Gomez faces a penalty of between fifteen to sixty years in the Illinois Department of Corrections to be served at 75 percent.

Photo provided by DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.