Chicago Couple Among Nine Individuals Charged in Federal Drug Investigation

A federal drug investigation has resulted in criminal charges against nine individuals for allegedly trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area.

The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to shut down a drug trafficking organization allegedly led by a Chicago couple— Joel Andrade and Maria Brenda Mora-Hernandez.

A criminal complaint filed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses Joel Andrade and Mora-Hernandez of conspiring to possess at least five kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

The pair also allegedly possessed two semiautomatic handguns in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes.

The seven other defendants allegedly distributed cocaine last year in Chicago or the suburbs of Villa Park, Ill., Addison, Ill., and Rosemont, Ill.

Law enforcement on Thursday arrested seven of the defendants and executed court-authorized searches of multiple locations in the city and suburbs. Those defendants have begun making their initial appearances in federal court in Chicago. The two other defendants are in state custody in Cook County and will make their initial federal court appearances at a later time.

The charges and arrests were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, and Nicholas J. Roti, Executive Director of the Chicago High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois National Guard’s Counter-Drug Task Force, Carpentersville, Ill. Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora, Ill. Police Department, Naperville, Ill. Police Department, Lake County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigations Group, and Berkeley, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Chang and Megan Donohue.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not allow our communities to be exploited by drug traffickers peddling poison,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “We are proud to partner with FBI, CPD, HIDTA, and our many other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold traffickers accountable and keep dangerous drugs and illegal guns off our streets.”

“The FBI will continue to aggressively combat criminal organizations that degrade our communities by engaging in the trafficking of narcotics,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “The success of this operation underscores the valuable partnerships the FBI shares with the Chicago Police Department and all members of our Safe Streets Task Force who work together to ensure the safety of our communities.”

The complaint charges Joel Andrade, 34, of Chicago, and Mora-Hernandez, 32, of Chicago, with drug conspiracy, drug distribution, and firearm offenses. The other defendants charged with federal drug offenses are Richard Rubio, 33, of Chicago Ridge, Ill., Alexis Andrade, 30, of Chicago, Jeremy Rush, 34, of Downers Grove, Ill., Devonte Jones, 30, of Chicago, Jose Navarette, 23, of Chicago, Jeremie Reyes-Gonzalez, 21, of Cicero, Ill., and Alexis Gutierrez, 43, of Riverside, Ill. Rubio and Alexis Andrade are also charged with possessing handguns in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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