Palatine man who had drug charges dismissed following scandal charged again
A 21-year-old Palatine man whose 2012 drug charges were dropped in the wake of a Schaumburg police scandal faces new allegations that he delivered a controlled substance several times in May and June.
On Thursday, Efren Rosales, of the 1300 block of White Water Lane, had his bail increased from $25,000 to $75,000 after prosecutors claimed Rosales is affiliated with a street gang and told Cook County Judge Joseph Cataldo that Rosales has six additional criminal counts pending against him.
At the time of his original bail hearing on June 14 in Chicago, Rosales was charged with a sole count of possession of a controlled substance. The additional criminal charges include possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and delivery of a controlled substance. The latter carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Members of the Illinois State Police North Central Narcotics Task Force arrested Rosales last month for what prosecutors described as "multiple narcotics-related offenses" between May 4 and June 12.
According to court records, state police officers recovered 29 grams of cocaine in a vehicle in which Rosales was riding. They also found 84.5 grams of cocaine at his home, along with digital scales, drug packaging material, a .22 caliber assault rifle and ammunition, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney David Shin.
The total amount of suspected cocaine recovered at Rosales' home and as a result of drug sales was 192.4 grams with a street value of $14,320, Shin said.
Rosales was among at least 19 defendants whose charges were dropped in the wake of the January 2013 arrests in DuPage County of former Schaumburg undercover officers John Cichy, Matthew Hudak and Terrance O'Brien on charges of criminal drug conspiracy, delivery of a controlled substance, armed violence, theft and official misconduct. Cook County prosecutors subsequently dismissed selected cases, citing the former officers' tainted credibility.
Hudak and O'Brien pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to 26 and 24 years in prison, respectively. Charges are still pending against Cichy.
Rosales next appears in court on Aug. 10.