Pair charged in 'considerable' cocaine bust in Schaumburg

Following an undercover bust in Schaumburg, two Chicago-area men were charged Thursday with possession of a "considerable" amount of cocaine and will have to pay full bonds in the millions of dollars to get out of Cook County Jail.

On Thursday, a Rolling Meadows judge set bond at $3 million for Ricardo Maldonaldo, 23, of the 2000 block of S. St. Louis in Chicago, and $1.5 million for Rogue Rodriguez, 47, of the 1400 block of S. Central in Cicero. The two were arrested Wednesday afternoon in Schaumburg on charges of possession and intent to deliver approximately three kilograms - or more than 6.5 pounds - of cocaine.

To get out of jail, Maldonaldo and Rodriguez will have to pay the bond in full, said assistant state's attorney Scott Biestek.

The arrests took place in a parking lot at 601 N. Martingale Road during a Drug Enforcement Agency operation for which Schaumburg police provided assistance, said Sgt. John Nebl, who described the drug case as one of the biggest of its kind in the village.

A confidential police informant made arrangements through Rodriguez to purchase the cocaine from Maldonaldo, said Biestek. He declined to elaborate on the case, but described both the quantity of the drugs and their street value as "considerable."

A DEA spokeswoman placed the wholesale value of the cocaine between $21,000 and $35,000 per kilo. The street value would be considerably higher, she indicated, although the DEA does not estimate street value.

The DEA and Schaumburg police set up surveillance at the parking lot where they observed the informant approach and speak first with a man in a green Chevy Suburban and next with a man in a maroon Ford Windstar.

The informant then signaled police, who converged on both vehicles and arrested Maldonaldo and Rodriguez. Officers recovered the cocaine from a hidden compartment in one of the cars, said Biestek. They also recovered a 40-caliber handgun.

Maldonaldo and Rodriguez's next court date is Jan. 2.