Pubdate: Sat, 06 May 2006
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2006 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Annie Sweeney, Crime Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)

COPS SEIZE BAIL MONEY LINKED TO DRUG SALES

In a first for Chicago Police, investigators served a warrant on the 
Cook County Circuit Court clerk's office Friday to seize $10,000 that 
investigators say was posted to get an alleged drug dealer out of jail.

Law enforcement officials said the seizure warrant, signed by a judge 
Friday, is the first time a police department in the county has used 
a warrant to confiscate drug money used for bond money.

"To the best of our knowledge, it has not been done, at least on the 
state level," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Anthony 
Kyriakopoulos. "I am not aware of any warrant being served on the 
clerk of the Circuit Court."

A spokesman for the clerk's office could not confirm that the warrant 
had been served.

The seizure warrant grew out of a complex drug conspiracy case that 
started in the Wentworth Police District in January after neighbors 
complained to the local commander about drug activity.

Before it was over, a ranking gang member was charged with trying to 
give a Chicago Police officer $1,000 a week for protection, and his 
girlfriend was charged with money laundering -- the first time such 
charges have been filed in a Chicago Police street-corner drug 
investigation, officials said.

Detectives traced the proceeds Anthony Robinson, 36, was making from 
his drug operation at 46th and Evans and uncovered a scheme his 
girlfriend, Lenore Henderson, used to try to legitimize their money, 
police officials said.

'Just Like The Guy Next Door'

Among the items allegedly seized was a $10,000 bond slip signed by 
Henderson. She paid the money to get Robinson out of jail last fall 
on a felony weapons charge, officials said.

In an 11-page filing Friday, detectives laid out the alleged 
connection between the bond money and the drug business.

"It was hard police work," Kyriakopoulos said. "It was the uncovering 
of a bond slip for the main target."

Investigators also said it was notable that they got the 
money-laundering charges against Henderson, who allegedly used a 
money order scheme to deposit drug money into bank accounts and 
support the couple in south suburban Matteson, where they were 
raising two kids in a $300,000 home.

"These higher-echelon gang members, they are just like the guy next 
door," said Sgt. Ken Boudreau, who heads up the asset forfeiture 
unit. "They cut their grass. They shovel their snow. They hang their 
Christmas lights. The only difference is they are selling drugs."

The street-corner investigation focused on two corners, including 
Robinson's alleged site on Evans and one at 47th and Vincennes.

The investigation took a unique twist when Robinson -- a ranking 
member of the Black Disciples who allegedly controlled the Evans spot 
but was never seen at the location -- was picked up by police after a 
traffic stop. He allegedly had $4,000 on him and was taken to the 
Wentworth District for processing, officials said.

'Officer Did Do The Right Thing'

There, he made a quiet offer to one of the officers, telling him he 
thought there was a way both could get rich and to call one of his 
underlings if he was interested, officials said.

"It doesn't happen all the time," said Sgt. George Karuntzos. "The 
main point is the officer did do the right thing."

After talking to his bosses, the cop was told to pretend to go along 
with the scheme. Investigators got necessary court orders to tape the 
negotiations, which allegedly included Robinson offering the officer 
$1,000 a week for protection, giving him a cell phone so they could 
stay in touch and telling the officer he would buy drugs the officer seized.

At one point, the cop even tipped Robinson off about a search that 
was going to happen near his drug spot as a way to build trust. After 
a couple of weeks, the officer offered to sell Robinson two kilos of 
cocaine, and during the exchange, which included a diluted substance, 
Robinson was arrested.

Frank Limon, chief of the department's Organized Crime Division, said 
the case shows the department's commitment to follow the money trail.

"We were able to make a full circle on where the money was 
laundered," Limon said. "That's a model of what we are trying to do."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman