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Federal Bureau of Investigation - Seal - Link to FBI Chicago Main Press Page

U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation
In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. 219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

 

November 1, 2006

SIX ARRESTED IN WEST SUBURBAN GANG SWEEP

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Byram Tichenor, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); William Powell, Chief of the Aurora, Illinois Police Department (APD) and David Neuman, Chief of the Carpentersville, Illinois Police Department (CPD) announced today the arrest of six suspected members and associates of the Aurora and Carpentersville factions of the Latin Kings street gang. The arrests were made earlier today, without incident, at various locations in the Aurora and Carpentersville areas by FBI and IRS Special Agents and Officers from the APD and CPD.

All six individuals were charged in a criminal complaint filed this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Chicago with numerous violations of federal drug laws and conspiracy, both of which are felony offenses. According to the complaint, one of those charged, ROMAN LUCIO, is alleged to have been a member of the Aurora faction of the Latin Kings since 1997 and has served as the leader of this gang since the summer of 2005. A second defendant, ANTONIO TORRES, Jr., is alleged to be the leader of the Carpentersville faction of the Latin Kings and together, they conspired to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine in Aurora, Carpentersville and the surrounding areas of Kane County.

Code named operation "Broke Down Crown", this joint investigation began over 18 months ago and is a continuation of law enforcement's effort to target gang activity and the distribution illegal drugs in and around Aurora which to date, has resulted in the arrest of over 100 suspected gang members. This investigation, which remains ongoing, incorporated the use of court authorized electronic surveillance on several telephones used by one or more of the defendants in connection with the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.

In addition to the arrests, searches of several locations were conducted, resulting in the recovery of nearly a kilogram of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Three vehicles used in connection with drug operation were also seized.

Those charged and arrested today are identified as:

  1. ROMAN LUCIO, aka "Rampage", age 26, of 1700 Light Road, Oswego, Illinois.
  2. ANTONIO TORRES, Jr., aka "Goofy", age 26, formerly of Carpentersville, Illinois, who is incarcerated in the Kane County jail on unrelated charges.
  3. LIRIA TORRES, (sister of Antonio Torres), age 21, of 103 Meadowdale, Carpentersville, Illinois.
  4. SOPHIA LUNA, age 25, of 1700 Light Road, Oswego, Illinois.
  5. BRIAN JONES, age 34, of 602 Front Street, Aurora, Illinois.
  6. GERMAN PACHECO, age 27, of 142 South Fordham, Aurora, Illinois.

All of those arrested and charged appeared in U.S. District Court in Chicago this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Martin Denlow. All six were ordered held without bond, pending their next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charges filed against them, they face a possible sentence of up to life in prison.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the criminal complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 829-1199.