Drug-sniffing dog with Elgin police outwits Pistol Pete

Police say an Elgin man going by the name Pistol Pete thought he could outsmart an Elgin police drug dog Wednesday night by hiding narcotics next to the car's engine, thinking the grease would throw off the dog's keen sense of smell.

But his plan went awry after the dog, Kregin, let police know there were drugs inside the vehicle.

Officers found 14.3 grams of cocaine and 19.2 grams of marijuana next to the battery in the engine's compartment, reports said. And Pistol Pete, 41, whose real name is Peter Quinones, faces several charges, chief among them unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a school.

That Class X felony could put him behind bars for between six and 30 years.

Kane County Judge John Noverini Thursday morning set Quinones' bond at 10 percent of $100,000 - he was unable to post bond and was sent to the Kane County jail hours later, officials said.

According to court documents, police pulled Quinones over at 8:36 p.m. near Larkin High School at the McLean Boulevard entrance ramp onto Route 20, for failure to signal and improper lane usage.

Police say they smelled marijuana on him and that Quinones admitted he'd been smoking it earlier in the day. He agreed to let officers search his car, court documents said.

In addition to the drugs, police found more than $1,800 in cash and a black digital scale next to the drugs, documents said.

Quinones, who lives in the 1700 block of Maple Lane, is unemployed, admitted the drugs and cash were his and said he buys and sells drugs every few days because his Social Security check isn't enough to support his lifestyle, reports said.

He told police he gets $50 for every 0.7 grams of cocaine and $10 for every gram of marijuana he sells, documents said.

Quinones is due in court June 3 at the Kane County Judicial Center.