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One charged in Grayslake restaurant drug ring pleads not guilty

One of three brothers charged with running a drug distribution ring out of a pair of family-owned restaurants pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Lake County Circuit Court.

The arraignment of Elias Papandreou, 27, of Wadsworth, marked another chapter in the history of drug cases brought against him and his older brothers Konstantino “Gus”, 34, and Jack, 35.

In the latest case, all three Papandreous face up to 60 years in prison for selling cocaine, Ecstasy and Vicodin from the Jack’s Pizza and Burgers establishments in Grayslake and Waukegan.

Police said between August of last year and this March, the brothers and 16 other people conspired to sell the drugs — often, over the counter at the restaurants or delivered with phone-in orders.

Approximately $160,000 worth of drugs was distributed through the operation, police said.

The brothers’ experiences with criminal prosecution began Aug. 16, 2002, when Jack was arrested in a Gurnee hotel parking lot for trying to buy eight pounds of cocaine in exchange for a $60,000 watch and a Range Rover.

Five days later, he was among 37 people indicted by the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee for selling cocaine, Ecstasy and marijuana in Wisconsin, Arizona and California during a 10-year period.

It was while Jack was in federal custody in Waukesha, Wis., that he concocted a plan to purchase a pound of cocaine that snared not only himself but his two brothers as well.

A police informant who was acting as the broker for the deal originally called Gus Papandreou to pick up the pound of cocaine in a Gurnee parking lot on Oct. 23, 2003. When Gus arrived, he was arrested by agents of the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and other local police agencies.

The informant then called Elias Papandreou and said Gus had not shown up to consummate the deal, and suggested Elias pick up the package. Elias did, and was arrested.

Jack Papandreou was eventually sentenced to 20 years in state prison for the 2002 charge, 17 years in federal prison in the Milwaukee case and an additional 10 years of state time for the 2003 case.

Gus Papandreou was sentenced to 13½ years in prison in the 2003 case, and Elias received a six-year sentence.

Jack is in custody in the U.S. prison in Terre Haute, Ind., and Gus is among the 13 people named in indictments announced last week who are at large.

Two others named in last week’s indictments: Miranda Laffredi, 30, of Waukegan, and Ashley McClain, 25, of Winthrop Harbor, pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday.

Both were facing the original charge of criminal drug conspiracy filed against all defendants named last week, but Laffredi and McClain pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine during a hearing before Associate Judge Theodore Potkonjak.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Larue said he agreed to reduce the charges against the two because of their lack of serious criminal history and their willingness to plead guilty.

Potkonjak sentenced both women to two years on probation and ordered them to pay $500 fines.

Both women admitted they bought $60 worth of cocaine at Jack’s restaurant in Grayslake on Feb. 28.

Potkonjak reminded both they were given a major break in their plea agreements, and warned them the original charges and the possible 60-year prison sentences could be reinstated for any failure to comply with their probations.

“The odds are that if you screw up when you are on probation, there is not going to be a lot of leniency involved,” Potkonjak told Laffredi. “You essentially have one foot in prison.”

Elias Papandreou pleaded not guilty to the criminal drug conspiracy charge against him and was informed prosecutors have also filed to seize his 2005 BMW as part of the case against him.

Potkonjak scheduled a trial of the case against Elias Papandreou for June 13 and ordered him to appear in court May 25.

He is held on $500,000 bond, and similar amounts have been set for all the others named in last week’s indictments.

Jack Papandreou, 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a criminal drug conspiracy charge from 2003.
Konstantino Papandreou charged with running a drug distribution ring out of a pair of family-owned restaurant.