Deputies Serving Eviction Notice Find $200,000 Worth Of Pot
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police serving an eviction notice at a Southwest Side home found 44 pounds of marijuana, weapons and ammunition, and an apparent drug deal taking place, all of which led to the arrests of two men.
The cannabis, allegedly being sold by a 28-year-old man who was living at the home with his parents, has a street value of more than $200,000, according to a statement from the Cook County Sheriff's office.
Sheriff's deputies went to the home in the 5600 block of South California Avenue about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to execute an eviction order, and were let in by 28-year-old Rosendo Diaz, the statement said.
Another man, 29-year-old Israel Fernandez of Chicago, was in the living room, when deputies arrived and checked for other people in the house, police said.
While searching the basement, deputies found gallon-sized freezer bags in plain view on a bed, containing what appeared to be cannabis.
They also found loose cannabis in empty containers, a large brick of cannabis, a scale, a semi-automatic handgun and a revolver, the statement said.
Diaz told deputies the house belonged to his parents and he lived there with them. His mother arrived after Diaz called her at the request of deputies, and she consented to a search of the house and garage, the sheriff's office said.
Deputies found two additional large bundles of cannabis under the basement stairs, and a .357 caliber revolver and ammunition in an unlocked safe in the basement.
A total of 44 pounds of cannabis was found—22 pounds in the bedroom and 22 pounds under the stairs—with an estimated street value of more than $200,000, according to the sheriff's office.
Fernandez was at the house to buy cannabis from Diaz, who was in the basement bagging cannabis when deputies arrived, the statement said.
Diaz was charged with armed violence, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Fernandez was charged with attempted possession of cannabis and released on bond.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
