Police charge lawyer, client with selling pot
Batavia police have arrested a Kane County attorney and one of his former clients and charged them with selling marijuana and possessing nearly two pounds of the drug.
Randolph K. Blomberg, a 56-year-old Maple Park man with a practice in Aurora, faces charges of unlawful possession of more than 500 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of more than 500 grams of cannabis, and possession of a controlled substance.
If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison on the most serious charge.
Blomberg's bail was set at $100,000 and he posted bond Friday morning.
Richard A. Cherry, 44, of Geneva faces four charges -- three of them felonies -- of unlawful distribution of cannabis. If convicted of the most serious charge, he faces up to five years in prison.
Cherry posted bond on Friday, but the amount was unavailable.
Batavia police Sgt. Edgardo Perez said the arrests were the result of an investigation that began after receiving an anonymous tip that Cherry was dealing drugs in Batavia.
Perez said detectives made a series of purchases from Cherry in Batavia.
On Thursday, according to Perez, an undercover officer bought 80 grams of marijuana at Blomberg's home. Authorities later seached the home and found 803 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Blomberg's bedroom.
A message left at Blomberg's office was not immediately returned. He serves as a defense attorney handling DUI, traffic, family law and some felony cases in Kane and DuPage counties.
According to court records, Blomberg served as Cherry's defense attorney in a 2004 case in which Cherry was accused of felony theft in Aurora. Cherry eventually received 18 months probation. Cherry does not have any other convictions in Kane County.
Up until this week, the most serious charges Blomberg had faced were speeding tickets.
Since 1990, Blomberg was pulled over 16 times for speeding in various towns throughout Kane County and along interstates. He also was cited for fleeing/attempting to elude police in Geneva, twice for no insurance and four for not wearing a seat belt.
Both men are due in court on Oct. 26.