U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
|
|
U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
|
|
| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
|
|
|
March 17, 2004 Four Charged, Two Arrested in MCC Drug Smuggling Investigation Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of MABEL WEST, age 39, of 945 West 117th Street in Chicago and EMMA CLARK, age 34, of 11320 South Wentworth, also in Chicago. Both women were arrested yesterday afternoon, without incident, by members of the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF). WEST and CLARK were each charged in a criminal complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of conspiring to provide a controlled substance to an inmate of a federal prison, which is a felony offense. Two other individuals, identified as DENISE WEST, age 34, of 16148 Sussex in Markham, Illinois and MICHAEL WEST, age 44, who is incarcerated at the Chicago Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) on an unrelated matter, were also charged in this complaint. DENISE WEST surrendered to the FBI yesterday afternoon. According to the complaint, MABEL WEST, DENISE WEST and EMMA CLARK are alleged to have smuggled quantities of heroin to MICHAEL WEST, while he was a prisoner at the Chicago MCC, starting in November of 2003. MICHAEL WEST is alleged to have then resold the drugs to other inmates. As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that the defendants would talk in code over telephones at the MCC, knowing that their conversations were monitored and recorded, and would use small balloons to carry the contraband into the institution. DENISE WEST, MABEL WEST and EMMA CLARK appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys yesterday afternoon, at which time they were released on bond, pending their next scheduled court appearance. MICHAEL WEST is scheduled to appear before Judge Keys on March 31st. If convicted of the charges against them, all four individuals face a possible sentence of up to 10 years incarceration. In announcing these arrests, Mr. Kneir wishes thank Warden Jerome F. Graber of the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago, whose staff first uncovered this scheme and provided invaluable assistance during the investigation. The charges in this case were filed by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) is comprised of FBI Special Agents, Detectives from the Chicago Police Department and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department. 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 complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645. |
