Twins Nabbed in Evergreen Park Drug Sting: Prosecutors

Caption: Francisco Perez (left) and his twin brother Ricardo. The 20-year-olds are from Burbank. | Cook County Sheriff

Twin brothers were arrested in a home search that turned up ecstasy, cannabis, cocaine, and a live, 12-gauge shotgun shell following a series of controlled buys with Evergreen Park police, prosecutors said.

Burbank residents Francisco and Ricardo Perez, both 20, appeared in Bridgeview bond court Monday, where both are facing felony drug charges.

Prosecutors said the brothers were arrested following a series of controlled buys by Evergreen Park police, including:

• July 8 -- 8.8 grams of marijuana;
• July 10 -- 1.2 grams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as MDMA or ecstasy;
• July 17 -- 0.3 grams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3.5 grams of cocaine;
• July 18 -- 6.2 grams of marijuana, 0.3 grams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and 3.8 grams of cocaine.

Information provided by Evergreen Park police stated that Francisco and Ricardo Perez were arrested following the controlled buy on July 18.

The next day, July 19, police conducted a search of the brothers’ home in the 5800 block of W. 82nd Place, Burbank, where they lived with their parents.

Prosecutors said that Francisco was the intended target of the search warrant, where police recovered 10.4 grams of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine along with a 12-gauge shotgun shell and $500 from a dresser in a bedroom shared by the brothers.

An additional 1.2 grams of ecstasy and 1.4 grams of marijuana was recovered from the home’s basement, according to the charges.

The assistant public defender told Cook County Judge Peter Felice that police put out a solicitation to buy drugs on Facebook, “which my client [Francisco] foolishly responded to,” and after repeated calls from a police officer posing as a potential buyer to set up the sales.

Judge Felice said he would not consider the issue of possible entrapment during the bond hearing, but said it was a matter to be considered during trial.

The assistant public defender stated that Francisco and Ricardo worked full time and were graduates of Reavis High School.

The brothers were charged with three felony counts of manufacturing/intent to deliver, and one misdemeanor amount of the same.

Bail was set at $15,000 for each felony, and $10,000 for the misdemeanor charge.

Evergreen Park police had no comment on the entrapment allegation or investigation.

The Perez brothers are due back in court on August 13.