Former Sheriff's Official Ran International Cocaine Ring: Raoul

Joliet IL

02 December, 2021

10:25 AM

Description

JOLIET, IL — A former member of the Cook County Sheriff's Office finds himself in the Will County Jail after Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced criminal charges against Juan Carmona, accusing him of involvement in trafficking cocaine from Mexico into Illinois. Raoul said his office will prosecute Carmona, 46, of Burr Ridge, Illinois, with the office of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow. Carmona has been charged in Will County with calculated criminal drug conspiracy, criminal drug conspiracy, controlled substance trafficking, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and possession of a controlled substance. "These charges are the result of a cooperative, joint collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies which is critical in a case such as this involving multiple jurisdictions," Glasgow said in Thursday's news release. Following news of the criminal indictment, the Cook County Sheriff's Office notified Patch on Thursday that "Mr. Carmona was hired in 2001 as a corrections officer. He became a police officer in 2005 and left the Office in 2014." According to Raoul's indictment, in 2019, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered Carmona's involvement in an international cocaine trafficking operation. In July 2019, Homeland Security Investigations agents recovered over 16 kilograms of cocaine from two Illinois residences Carmona owned. Officials said Carmona told agents the cocaine was from Mexico and admitted to being part of an operation that trafficked the cocaine into Illinois. If convicted, Carmona faces up to 30 to 120 years in prison. Carmona's bail has been set at $1 million, and his next court date is Dec. 10. "I appreciate the diligence of Homeland Security Investigations and Will County State's Attorney James W. Glasgow's office, which supports us as we seek to interrupt criminal enterprises and hold accountable individuals who traffic and sell dangerous narcotics," Raoul said in Thursday's announcement.