Elgin man charged after DEA investigation seizes cannabis, fentanyl, cocaine and $370K

A Kane County judge refused to lower the bail this week for an Elgin man accused of possessing cocaine, fentanyl and 44 pounds of cannabis.

Aaron Washington, 39, of the 500 block of Aldine Street, remains in the Kane County jail on $400,000 bail. He is charged with manufacturing/delivery of cocaine, fentanyl and cannabis. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated fleeing and eluding police.

Kane County court records show a regional Drug Enforcement Agency High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force was investigating Washington. Agents searched his home on Feb. 26. According to the records, they found 149.9 grams of the narcotic fentanyl in a plastic bag, 520 grams of cocaine in a plastic bag, and 44 pounds of cannabis in 44 vacuum-sealed plastic bags.

They also found two loaded semi-automatic pistols.

And the agents found $370,817.62. Some of it was wrapped in rubber bands and stored in four black garbage bags; the rest was in four 5-gallon water jugs, according to the records.

Later that morning, as agents watched Washington's house, they saw him drive to it. When they turned on sirens and lights, Washington drove off, hitting a police vehicle and getting a flat tire when he struck a curb, the records show.

Washington ran away, according to the records, and walked into the Fox River.

The prosecutor told Kane County Judge John Barsanti that Washington stayed in the river for 15 minutes before he was arrested.

His attorney said Washington drove off because the police car was not marked, and he did not know who was after him.

Washington would need to post $40,000 to be freed pretrial. But that can't happen until Barsanti rules on a prosecutor's request that Washington prove from where any bail money comes.

The prosecutor alleges in a written motion that Washington has no job history, has three convictions for possession of "dangerous drugs," and told police he is self-employed delivering clothes and doing demolition work.