Drug Bust

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2006


Maywood Police Announce Major Drug Arrests
OPERATION DOUBLE TROUBLE


Maywood, Illinois- The Maywood Police Department announced charges today against 23 gang members in connection with a narcotics investigation, shutting down an open-air drug market near a church. Maywood Police in conjunction with Hillside Police, Cook County Sheriff's Office, and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, in June of this year, formed Operation Double Trouble to combat the sale and distribution of illegal drugs. This operation focused on members of the Four Corner Hustlers and Mafia street gangs who where selling cocaine in the area between 18th and 20th at St. Charles Street in Maywood. Audio and video surveillance captured gang members selling drugs to undercover officers. (Copies of tapes will be made available for media.)

Warrants were issued for the following individuals charging them with delivery of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a church: Reginald Tucker, 21; Jermaine Edwards, 23; Edward Long, 44; Lee Davis, 46; and Andrew Lindsey, 44 of Maywood. If convicted, each can receive a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Other individuals charged with delivery of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a church are: Julian Gadberry, 23; Khamion Myles, 17; Erwin Washington, 23; Earnest Watts, 17; Lee A. Davis, 42: Dayon Sanders, 18; Angel Banks, 37; Jermaine Mines, 25; Tristen Mallory, 25; and Deon Reed, 25 of Maywood; Reginald Hook, 22 of Westchester; Cleo Smith, 57 of Hillside; and Duane Matthews, 19 of Bellwood. Delivery of a controlled substance is a Class 1 Felony and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The four remaining individual charged are juvenile offenders. Bonds were set ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million.

The success of the operation is based on cooperation between our regional law enforcement agencies and the citizens of Maywood. In an effort to address quality of life issues in the Western Suburbs, resources were pooled to combat the problem. Citizens of Maywood worked together with police by providing information on how the various groups operated. The Four Corner Hustlers and Mafia gangs were dealing almost 24 hours a day at certain locations, raking in as much as $5000 a day. As a result of their illegal activities, residents were being held hostage in their homes. Chief Williams states, "Today we have the satisfaction of knowing that our efforts are paying off. The elderly and children can now feel safe walking in their neighborhoods. This is just one phase of a many phased process to restore community health. More arrests are to come as we continue to combat illegal activity in the Village of Maywood and surrounding community. Our mission is to be responsive to community concerns, address emerging crime trends and patterns, and aggressively attempt to eliminate chronic crime conditions within the community."
 

Johnny Diggs
Executive Assistant
Mayor & Trustees
Village of Maywood, Illinois

708-450-4492 (Office)
708-473-2099 (Cell)
708-450-0657 (Fax)
http://jdiggs@maywood-il.org (email)