60-year prison sentence in $1.35 million Aurora heroin bust
An Aurora man convicted of possessing nearly 20 pounds of heroin in one of the largest drug arrests in Kane County history was sentenced to 60 years in prison Friday.
Modesto Alarcon, 44, was convicted in a December 2016 bench trial before Judge D.J. Tegeler of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, and money laundering - all felonies.
At trial police testified they searched Alarcon's home on the 1000 block of Grove Street April 1, 2014, and found heroin in a hidden wall in Alarcon's garage, along with a gun in the basement, $84,000, digital scales and other drug packaging materials.
At the bench trial, Alarcon testified he met his connection about 10 times, each time obtaining heroin in quantities of up to 10 pounds.
The nine kilograms of heroin equates to about 20 pounds of heroin, making it one of, if not the largest heroin busts in Kane County history.
In 2011, authorities arrested a Texas woman who acted as a "drug mule" by driving seven kilograms of heroin to the Elgin area with the drugs hidden in a truck's drive shaft. Claudia Chagoya was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors said it is difficult to determine the largest bust because of differing levels of purity and the potential for the drug to be cut with other substances and later resold in smaller quantities.
Alarcon received the maximum term and must serve 75 percent of it, or 45 years.
Prosecutors also seized some $270,000 in the case - the $84,000 that was found at Alarcon's home and $190,000 from two people who pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2015 and were sentenced to six years in prison.
Defense attorney Robert Rascia had challenged the constitutionality of the April 2014 search and has indicated he will appeal the verdict.