Man Arrested In Alleged Conspiracy Wants Apology From Lake Co. State's Attorney
(CBS) -- An ex-offender arrested as part of an alleged criminal conspiracy late last year is seeking an apology from the Lake County (IL) State's Attorney's Office. He's also considering legal action against the prosecutor's office.
43-year-old Nigel Patrick, of Zion, was arrested along with 20 others in late October as part of Operation Shut Down The Hustle. Patrick spent 90 days in the Lake County Jail before a judge dropped the charges against him.
Patrick contends he never did anything wrong and suspects he got caught in the investigation's web by talking on the phone with alleged ringleader and childhood friend, Gregory Harris Sr., otherwise known as "Chili-G", according to Zion police.
Patrick admits he spent years in prison for drug dealing but contends that, for the past six years, he has not committed any crimes and has been a husband, a church deacon and an entrepreneur.
He says the morning he was arrested was the day after Patrick brought his wife home from a hospital where she had major surgery.
Patrick says he and his wife run a non-emergency medical transportation company but has lost business over what happened. Patrick estimates that he "probably lost over $50,000" in business "because (prosecutors) "stained my name, defamed my character".
Lake County State's Attorney spokeswoman Cynthia Trujillo Vargas was not offering an apology. She says Operation Shut Down The Hustle is an "on-going investigation so I can't further comment on it". She adds that she "can't confirm or deny if (Nigel Patrick) is looking at further charges in the future".