Two charged in drug bust by McHenry County narcotics unit

Two men were arrested Wednesday by McHenry County Sheriff’s officers in unincorporated Algonquin after undercover detectives purchased cocaine from one of them, authorities said.

Terry L. Stegal, 21, of the 100 block of Howard Avenue in East Dundee, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren announced Thursday in a news release.

James J. Porreca, 21, of the 35W200 block of Lathrop Lane in West Dundee, was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance, the sheriff said.

During the early part of the monthlong investigation, undercover detectives twice purchased cocaine from Stegal. On Wednesday, Stegal was arrested after he sold an ounce of cocaine to an undercover detective, police said. Authorities recovered about 36 grams of cocaine and one-half gram of heroin during the investigation.

Porreca, who drove Stegal to the transaction on Wednesday, was in possession of trace amounts of cocaine, said Nygren, who estimated the value of the drugs seized at more than $1,400.

Porreca posted $1,000 bond; Stegal was being held in McHenry County jail on $15,000 bail. Both men are due in court Nov. 23.