Police arrest 11 men involved in DuPage heroin conspiracy

After a two-month long investigation, 11 men from the western suburbs and Chicago have been charged for their part in a heroin conspiracy, according to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.

Miguel Fernandez, 23, of the 200 block of Pomeroy Avenue in West Chicago, was charged with unlawful criminal drug conspiracy, seven counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of school property and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance to a person under the age of 18.

Fernandez was observed on numerous occasions purchasing heroin from various sources on the West Side of Chicago and distributing it to people in the DuPage County area, either for use or resale.

He was arrested with Ivan Espinal, 20, of the 1000 block of Blakely Street in West Chicago, on Tuesday.

Espinal was charged with unlawful criminal drug conspiracy and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Four co-conspirators were taken into custody after the arrest of Fernandez and Espinal and charged with unlawful criminal drug conspiracy and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance. They include:

Ÿ Fernando Lopez, 20, of the 200 block of Larsdotter Lane in Geneva

Ÿ Miguel Ramirez, 24, of the 30 West 000 block of Oakwood Court in Warrenville

Ÿ Pablo Ramirez, 19, of the 30 West 000 block of Oakwood Court in Warrenville

Ÿ Jesus Guerrero, 20, of the 800 block of Parkside Avenue in West Chicago

Two Chicago men were charged with unlawful criminal drug conspiracy after the arrests of Fernandez and Espinal. They include:

Ÿ Pierre Atkinson, 25, of the 4900 block of Polk Street in Chicago

Ÿ Billy Turnage, 27, of the 5000 block of Paulina Street in Chicago

The six men were taken into custody at various locations in West Chicago, Warrenville and Wheaton by officers from the DuPage County Sheriff’s SR-22 Unit, the West Chicago Police Department, the Woodridge Police Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Following the arrest of the co-conspirators, subsequent heroin investigations were conducted, resulting in three additional arrests. The men and their charges include:

Ÿ Manuel Gonzalez, 20, of the 700 block of Lincoln Avenue in West Chicago for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.

Ÿ Jonathon Guerrero, 20, of the 1600 block of Brookdale Road in Naperville, for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Ÿ Oscar Vivaldo-Avila, 24, of the 29 West 500 block of Winchester Court in Warrenville, for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver.

Members of the DuPage County Sheriff Office’s multijurisdictional Tactical Narcotics Team also helped with the investigation.