19 years prison for Maple Park cocaine dealer

A 42-year-old Maple Park man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing more than 6 pounds of cocaine at his home near Kaneland High School.

Fernando Pilar-Lopez was arrested in August 2010 after authorities searched his home and found the drugs, more than $1 million in cash, and transaction ledgers.

Pilar-Lopez pleaded guilty Thursday to felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

He faced a sentence of anywhere between 12 and 60 years in prison.

According to prosecutors, authorities searched Pilar-Lopez's home on Meredith Drive in rural Maple Park on Aug. 26, 2010, finding the cocaine, which had an estimated street value of $280,000.

Authorities also seized the cash, transaction ledgers, a money counter, and banking information that Pilar-Lopez later admitted were related to drug sales.

Federal charges are still pending against him that he had heroin shipped to him from Arizona.

Under state law, he can have his 19-year sentence cut in half for good behavior. He also gets credit for nearly five years served at the Kane County jail while being held on $15 million bail.

Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said cooperation between his office, the sheriff's department and U.S. DEA was essential to put Pilar-Lopez in prison.

"Thanks to them for their work to remove this poison from our streets," he said. "This conviction puts a noticeable dent in Kane County's illicit drug trade."