Man pleads guilty to possessing 82 pounds of marijuana

A 70-year-old California man pleaded guilty Monday to shipping himself 82 pounds of marijuana through a South Elgin warehouse.

Walter Kwiatek, of Cloverdale, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of more than 5,000 grams of marijuana.

He also faces five other charges of cannabis trafficking and possession with intent to deliver, but those likely will be dropped when he is sentenced July 18.

South Elgin Police acted on a tip last Dec. 29 about a suspicious container shipped from Santa Rosa, Calif., that was to a freight and delivery company in the 800 block of Commerce Drive.

They seized the marijuana, an undisclosed amount of cash and Kwiatek eventually was arrested.

Assistant State’s Attorney Kelly Orland said prosecutors are working with defense attorneys on an agreed sentence for Kwiatek, who has no criminal history and is a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $470,000, Orland said.

Judge Timothy Sheldon accepted the plea for Kwiatek, who faces up to 30 years in prison but a maximum term is unlikely because he doesn’t have a previous criminal record.

Outside the courtroom, defense attorney John Theis had no comment on the case, but said Kwiatek would be back in Illinois 2½ months from now.

“He will be here on the 18th for sentencing,” Theis said.

A few months ago, Sheldon granted Kwiatek permission to travel back to California while awaiting trial but authorities confiscated his passport.