Prosecutors dismiss drug charges against Schaumburg man

Drug charges against a Schaumburg man were dropped Thursday after a Cook County judge threw out the warrant that allowed police to search his home last February.

Cook County Judge Thomas Fecarotta found no probable cause to justify a search of the home of 39-year-old Kelley R. Altom, who was charged with production and intent to deliver cannabis, class 1 felonies punishable by four to 15 years in prison.

As a result, prosecutors dismissed the charges against Altom.

At Altom’s bond hearing, prosecutors reported that police uncovered an elaborate marijuana-growing operation in the crawl space of the Schaumburg home. Officers recovered 48 marijuana plants and approximately 2,000 grams of packaged and processed marijuana which had an estimated street value of $50,000, prosecutors said.