Kane Co. Jail Searched After 'Hooch,' Heroin Discovered: Police

KANE COUNTY, IL -- Inmates at the Kane County jail were busted smuggling 18 total baggies of suspected heroin into the main housing units at the jail over a ten-day period in January, authorities said this past week. Some of the suspected heroin is believed to be laced with fentanyl. So far, one of the inmates, Jose Charles, 24, of the 600 block of Forest Avenue in Elgin, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance after authorities turned up two small bags of heroin on him during a routine search on Jan. 12, according to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff's Office.

Just over a week later, correctional staff found nine small bags, which contained suspected heroin and fentanyl residue, on a female inmate. The discovery was made on Jan. 21 and the woman had been housed with the general jail population since Jan. 18.

An organized shakedown of three jail housing units and 159 inmates followed on Jan. 22. During the shakedown, authorities found a second female inmate who had seven small bags containing suspected heroin residue.

The substances seized on Jan. 21 and 22 by the two female inmates require additional lab testing and weighing before formal criminal charges are filed, authorities said.

The shakedown is the jails' second in recent weeks. In late December 2018, a cell block shakedown was conducted in two of the nine jail pods. These two housing units had been experiencing problems with disciplinary rule violations by the inmates who were attempting to make hooch, which is a process of mixing juice with fermenting fruit, and culminated with the alleged assault of an officer in one of the housing units, according to a December news release from the sheriff's office.

"In a jail cell block where we have experienced disciplinary issues and disrespect to some of our officers, an inmate walked up behind an officer 'flicked' his ear with his fingers," Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain told Patch in an e-mail response in late December. "Knowing that today's ear flick can be tomorrows fist fit, we reacted quickly with the shakedown."

Inmate Christopher Garcia, 31, was charged with aggravated battery to an officer, a Class 4 felony, in connection with that incident.

During that shakedown, several bottles of hooch were seized and some graffiti was discovered in several cells. Six inmates were moved to disciplinary status and were denied privileges for a several days, authorities said.

Kane County Sheriff's Office Reviews Jail Policies, Procedures

Sheriff's office officials say they are reviewing policy and procedures as an initial step to preventing the occurrence of contraband in the facility. Hain says he is also researching the acquisition of a body scanner for non-intrusive examination of all people entering the jail facility as a catch-all for contraband prevention.

Hain is also working to recruit inmates into various diversion program classes, which include OSHA/forklift certification, small business start-up, CDL training, English as a second language and professional painting are in full swing. Classes will begin with a new tablet program roll-out.

As part of that program, the jail will stop utilizing 80 tablets, which cost the department about $3,600 per month. Instead, 480 tablets will be used, which will be free and funded from money brought in from inmate phone calls, according to the sheriff's office news release.

These tablets will be used for educational purposes to supplement the new diversion programs.

Hain is also working with the jail’s food service to provide a better rotation of meals and meal
quality, while maintaining the existing price contract.

“I will continue to invest in our jail living conditions, safety of our officers, and a new life pathway for our inmate population in effort to maintain an efficient and secure facility with an unrelenting focus on driving down recidivism,” Hain said.