Man denies role in drug-related death

An Antioch Township man denied Wednesday he supplied the drugs that led to another man's death in a North Chicago motel room.

Kelton Lewis, 23, also pleaded not guilty to an unrelated felony shoplifting charge.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Steven Derue said Lewis, of 25038 W. Crawford Road, was a guest at the motel March 2, as was Owen Martinez, 19.

Martinez was a U.S. Navy sailor assigned to Great Lakes. He lived in Vernon Hills.

The two men met at the motel, Derue said, and eventually drove to the Lindenhurst area where Lewis bought some heroin he agreed to share with Martinez.

The two returned to the motel, where Lewis inhaled some of the heroin and Martinez injected some into his arm.

A while later, Lewis noticed Martinez was not breathing and called for emergency help, but took syringes and other drug paraphernalia out of the room.

Martinez was dead by the time emergency personnel arrived, Derue said, apparently from his first use of the drug.

Derue said Martinez was a high school honors graduate who finished fifth in his class at Navy boot camp, and was not a known drug abuser.

"Everything we know tells us he was a good kid who made a bad decision," Derue said. "This incident really underscores the danger of that drug."

Lewis is charged with delivery of a controlled substance and obstruction of justice in that case. He faces up to seven years in prison.

He is also charged with a Jan. 15 theft at the Target in Mundelein.

Derue said Lewis walked into the store, picked up a suitcase, then loaded it with 75 packages of razor blades worth $1,412 before fleeing.

Circuit Judge John Phillips told Lewis a conviction on that charge could earn him five years in prison.

Phillips scheduled a trial for June 2 and ordered Lewis to appear in court May 6.