Police say Algonquin man swallowed drugs during arrest

An Algonquin man charged with dealing heroin on Thursday appeared in court Monday after spending the weekend in the hospital due to swallowing some of the drugs, police said.

Kyle Stewart, 31, of the 1200 block of Merrill Avenue, was arrested just before midnight Thursday in an unincorporated area near Algonquin after a multiweek investigation, said Sgt. Chris Sullivan of the Illinois State Police North Central Narcotics Task Force.

Stewart was observed selling the drug to both an undercover police officer and a number of civilians on Thursday before his arrest, Sullivan said. Police stopped him while he was in a vehicle on his way to a supposed heroin sale.

Police said Stewart ingested some of the heroin during the arrest and was not brought to court until Monday because he had to be hospitalized.

Sullivan said the task force targeted Stewart in the investigation and discovered $500 worth of heroin when the arrest was made.

Stewart will face between six and 30 years for each of his two felony charges if convicted, Sullivan said.

He is currently being held in the McHenry County jail. Bond has been set at $100,000.