A SWAT team arrested two Lake County residents after federal authorities learned drugs were being mailed to Round Lake and investigators recovered a significant amount of narcotics.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Nicholas Shepherd said the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in April developed information about a suspicious package being mailed out of Arizona to Wisconsin.
The DEA learned of two additional suspicious packages being shipped to Round Lake and Wisconsin.
The Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group (LCMEG) was notified about the Round Lake parcel, which was destined for a residence in the 800 block of North Cedar Lake Road.
Surveillance was conducted at the residence and a male subject at the home was seen retrieving the parcel when it was delivered, Shepherd said.
The man left the home and visited multiple locations in western Lake County.
Investigators identified the man as Akeem S. Shofidiya, 39, of Lake Villa, who has an extensive criminal history involving weapons and drug trafficking. He is also a documented gang member, Shepherd said.
Last month, the DEA learned of another suspicious parcel destined for the same residence in Round Lake from Arizona.
LCMEG intercepted the package at a shipping facility in Illinois and a canine indicated the presence of drugs in the package, Shepherd said.
A search warrant was obtained and LCMEG searched the box and found 436 grams of pills that tested positive for fentanyl.
Shepherd said the parcel was re-packaged and it was delivered to the Round Lake residence.
Shofidiya was seen bringing the package into the home after it was delivered, Shepherd said.
LCMEG executed a search warrant at the residence two minutes later with the assistance of the Illinois State Police’s SWAT team.
SWAT surrounded the home and officers ordered the residents to exit the home.
Shofidiya exited within a minute and was taken into custody, Shepherd said. A woman, identified as Mykal P. Wade, 35, of Round Lake, was known to be inside the home.
Shepherd said Wade refused to exit the home for over 10 minutes and officers entered the home.
Officers learned Wade had been attempting to flush the fentanyl pills down a toilet but the toilet became clogged, Shepherd said.
Officers discovered a significant amount of additional narcotics, including 887 grams of cannabis, 500 grams of powdered fentanyl, 132 grams of cocaine, 25 grams of ecstasy pills and 16 grams of methamphetamine, in the home. A ghost handgun and cash were also recovered.
A young child was living in the home and was taken into custody by DCFS.
Wade and Shofidiya were both charged with manufacturing or delivery of 100-400 grams of cocaine, manufacturing 15-200 pills of ecstasy, methamphetamine delivery between 15-100 grams, manufacturing or delivery of more than 900 grams of cocaine, possession of 100-400 grams of cocaine, possession of 15-200 pills of ecstasy, possession of methamphetamine 15-100 grams, possession of over 200 grams of a controlled substance, manufacturing or delivery of cannabis between 500-2,000 grams, obstructing justice destroying evidence and child endangerment.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed petitions to detain both defendants pending trial.
Judges granted both petitions during separate detention hearings.