Elgin pair arrested on drug charges

A traffic stop in Elgin resulted in a pair of drug arrests Thursday on the city's east side.

Demond K. Thomas, 36, of the 300 block of Wellington Avenue, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a park, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, according to charging documents.

His passenger, Simone Hardy, 42, of the 1200 block of Apple Lane, was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia - a crack pipe, charging documents said.

At 6:40 p.m. Thursday, officers pulled Thomas over for driving with a suspended license in the 0 to 100 block of Clock Tower Plaza and found $720 and 28 plastic bags filled with crack cocaine, totaling 15 grams, Deputy Chief Cecil Smith said.

Police later got a search warrant for his apartment - the drug unit had been investigating in his building earlier in the day - and found 119 grams of marijuana, scales and other plastic bags, Smith said.

Thomas' charge was upgraded because his apartment is within 640 feet of Observatory Park, Smith said.

Bond was set at $85,000 for Thomas and $3,000 for Hardy.

Hardy will appear in the Elgin branch court Monday, while Thomas is due in court Thursday at the Kane County Judicial Center.

Delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park is a Class X felony that carries a prison sentence range between six and 30 years.