Ex-Huntley man pleads guilty in $5 million pot bust

An Elk Grove Village man faces 12 to 60 years in prison after admitting his role in $5 million marijuana bust in 2009.

Joseph M. Lichay, 53, formerly of Huntley, was set to go on trial in Kane County this week; instead he'll be sentenced on April 17 by Judge James Hallock after pleading guilty to cannabis trafficking of more than 5,000 grams, according to court records.

Lichay and five others were arrested in November 2009 after an investigation by the North Central Narcotics Task Force, which is a unit of the Illinois State Police, and other agencies.

The bust took place at a warehouse in Elk Grove Village in Cook County, but the case was prosecuted in Kane County because one of the defendants lives in Kane and there was related activity in Kane, prosecutors said.

It was one of the largest seizures of marijuana in Kane County's history as authorities seized 2,300 pounds of marijuana, $480,000 and eight vehicles.

Lichay entered a cold plea, meaning the defendant admits guilt and leaves the sentence in the hands of a judge instead of negotiating a sentence with prosecutors before the plea is made.

A message left with Lichay's defense attorney, Alexander Salerno, was not immediately returned.

Four others have pleaded guilty and are done serving their sentences.

Santos Nunez, 53, and Fabricio Mendiola, 42, both of Chicago, received sentences of five years in prison and were fined $17,364 and $18,851, respectively, according to court records.

Jose Arriaga, 42, of Chicago, was sentenced to six years in prison and fined $20,354 and Edwardo Alanis-Garcia, 48, of Melrose Park, was sentenced to seven years and fined $20,347.

In each of the four defendants was eligible to have their sentence cut in half for good behavior while in prison.

A final defendant, William E. Santana, 46, of Elgin, is next due in court Feb. 11 in Kane County.

A message left with Santana's defense attorney, Garrett Malcolm, was not immediately returned.