Fox Lake woman pleads guilty to delivering drugs
A Fox Lake woman will serve jail time and probation for delivering drugs to a Lindenhurst home where a 28-year-old man was found dead, authorities said Thursday.
Cassandra Fornear, 31, pleaded guilty to delivery of a controlled substance in front of Lake County Judge James Booras. As part of the negotiated settlement, Fornear was sentenced to 24 months of probation, 24 months in periodic imprisonment and 150 hours of community service.
She is also required to attend drug treatment counseling, and continuously be evaluated for risk assessment through the Lake County probation department. She is required to testify against co-defendant Matthew Rosene, 28, of Lakemoor, should his case go to trial.
"I just wish you luck," Booras told Fornear during her sentencing. "This has to stop. It's killing our young ones who are easily persuaded (into taking drugs)."
Mark Sailors, 29, was found unresponsive in his home Oct. 10, 2014, by relatives and was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he died.
Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz said autopsy results revealed Sailors died of heroin intoxication, and an investigation revealed the drug was purchased from Fornear and Rosene. Fisz said Fornear drove Rosene to Sailor's Lindenhurst home for the drug transaction.
Fornear was initially charged with drug-induced homicide, a charge that could have put her behind bars for up to 30 years. That charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
"A part of me died with Mark that day," the victim's mother, Michelle Sailors, said in court Thursday. "I loved Mark more than anything in this world. I am lost without him."
Rosene appeared briefly in court before the plea agreement. Defense attorney Elliot Pinsel delayed his trial date until Oct. 13.
Rosene, who remains free from Lake County jail after posting the required 10 percent of $100,000 bail, faces charges of drug-induced homicide and delivery of a controlled substance. If found guilty at trial, he is also facing up to 30 years in prison.
Booras granted a request to Rosene that allows him to be released from 24-hour curfew while out on bail in order to find a job.
Fornear remains in Lake County jail, but will be transferred to Lake County periodic imprisonment to serve her sentence.