Guilty plea in Jack’s Pizza drug case
One of three Lake County brothers accused of running a drug ring from two family-owned restaurants pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in Lake County circuit court.
Elias Papandreou, 27, was sentenced Oct. 21 to time served in jail after pleading guilty to misdemeanor unlawful distribution of prescription medicine.
Assistant State’s Attorney Ken LaRue said Papandreou, of Wadsworth, was recorded using a telephone at Jack’s Pizza and Burgers in Grayslake discussing supplying Vicodin to a customer.
Papandreou’s brothers, Jack and Kostatino, were charged in May with criminal drug conspiracy for what police say was repeated sales of cocaine from the Grayslake restaurant and a second Jack’s Pizza and Burgers in Waukegan.
Elias Papandreou was fined $4,800 as part of his plea before Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes.
Jack Papandreou is in federal custody serving prison sentences for previous drug convictions and is expected to appear in Lake County court on Dec. 1. An arrest warrant has been issued for Kostatino Papandreou, who LaRue said is believed to be out of the country.