Police: Man used St. Charles hotel to deal Ecstasy

A 27-year-old man was charged this week with using a St. Charles hotel room as a base to sell Ecstasy, according to authorities and court records.

Patrick S. Kidwell, of the 500 block of South 16th Street, St. Charles, faces charges of possession of between 100 grams and 400 grams of Ecstasy with intent to deliver, a felony that carries a prison term of six to 30 years without the chance of probation if he is convicted.

Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Bill Backus, who is executive director of the North Central Narcotics Task Force, said authorities began surveillance on Kidwell after receiving a tip he was selling drugs out of a hotel room on the east side of the city.

Authorities executed a search warrant at about 4 p.m. Wednesday, seizing 160 grams of MDMA in powder form, as well as other paraphernalia indicative that Kidwell was dealing drugs, Backus said.

The powdered MDMA is commonly put into capsules in .1 gram increments and sold for $10 each, Backus said.

That equates to an estimated street value of $16,000.

"We believe he was using the hotel room to facilitate his drug distribution," Backus said, declining to name the hotel. "That's what we're alleging."

Kidwell was charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor in June 2006 in St. Charles and he paid a $250 fine.

Kidwell is being held at the Kane County jail on $35,000 bail, meaning he must post $3,500 to be released while the case is pending.

He is next due in court on Aug. 27.