Final two of five guilty in $2.7 million Kane County pot bust
The final two of five people arrested in November in a $2.7 million Kane County marijuana bust have pleaded guilty.
Mary Nunez, 59, of the 2700 block of Sperry Court, Batavia, was sentenced to three years in prison last week after pleading guilty to the reduced charge of possession of between 2,000 grams and 5,000 grams of marijuana, according to Kane County court records.
Nunez also was fined $22,310 in the plea, which was accepted by Judge Susan Clancy Boles.
Defense attorney Joseph Dinatale said Nunez had a minor role in the operation, calling and making travel reservations for the group.
"She was what they call a facilitator," Dinatale said. "She had no (criminal) background, was never arrested before."
Matthew A. Westerlin, 30, formerly of Elburn and now of Earlville, Ill., was sentenced to 10 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to possession of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, records show.
He also was fined $24,190; Boles also accepted the plea.
Nunez and Westerlin faced up to 30 years in prison on the original charges of cannabis trafficking.
In November 2012, authorities made simultaneous traffic stops of two vehicles in Aurora and Sugar Grove, seizing 598 pounds of marijuana.
The DEA and state police investigated for months, suspecting five people of working to ship marijuana to the suburbs from the southwest United States.
Westerlin's wife, Crystal, 31, pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Dean Dzuiba, 56, of Darien, also pleaded guilty that month and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Richard Ecklund, 50, of the 2700 block of Sperry Court, Batavia, pleaded guilty in August and will be sentenced Oct. 28.
He faces up to 30 years in prison.