Trio arrested in undercover drug buy

Elgin police got more than they bargained for Thursday in an undercover drug buy.

Instead of arresting only one person who they expected to detain in the drug deal, three who participated in the exchange of cocaine for money at 5:45 p.m. were taken into custody, police said.

Derrick L. Hardy, 24, of 264 Bartlett Place, Deshonta Hill, 34, of 527 Raymond St., and Courtney L. Banner, 22, of 124 Gifford St., all of Elgin, were each charged in court Friday with delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park, delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, police said.

The undercover officer picked up Hill and Banner Thursday afternoon, and because they didn't have the cocaine on them he drove them to a location on Elgin's east side where they met Derrick Hardy, police said.

The undercover officer gave $100 in marked bills to Hill, who gave part of the money to Hardy and kept the rest, police said.

Hardy then handed over a plastic bag containing 0.9 grams of cocaine to Hill, who placed it in the ashtray of the undercover police officer's car, police said.

All three were then arrested.

Banner told police she only went along on the deal because Hill was afraid of the buyer (the undercover officer) and had never sold drugs to him before, police said.

Hill and Hardy were both placed on holds by the Illinois Department of Correction because both were on parole for drug convictions.

Kane County Judge Kevin Busch set the bonds of Hill and Hardy at $15,000 and the bond for Banner at $10,000.

None of the three were able to post bond and all were taken to the Kane County jail Friday morning.

Their next court dates are on Sept. 3 at the Kane County Judicial Center.