DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced today that Eduardo Lara-Cardenas, 29 (d.o.b. 9/5/1966) formerly of 327 McClure Road, Elgin, has been sentenced to 23 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for possession and attempted delivery of Heroin. On October 14, 2016, Lara-Cardenas entered a plea of guilty to one count of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, a Class X Felony. Judge George Bakalis imposed the sentence this morning. On May 16, 2016, Amtrak employees in Sacramento, California alerted authorities after observing Lara-Cardenas acting suspiciously. Lara-Cardenas then boarded a train bound for Naperville. The next day, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Naperville Police officers observed Lara-Cardenas exit the train with two duffel bags and enter an awaiting vehicle. Naperville police officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle after seeing it commit a traffic violation. Lara-Cardenas consented to a search of the duffel bags which contained more than 900 grams of heroin with a street value of approximately $160,000. Lara-Cardenas was immediately taken into custody and has been held on $1 million bond with 10% to apply since that time.
“Thanks to the cooperative efforts of Amtrak authorities, the DEA and the Naperville Police Department, we were able to not only put this defendant behind bars where he belongs, but we were also able to take an extremely large amount of heroin off the streets,” Berlin said. Getting involved with heroin – or any drugs for that matter – really isn’t worth it as it can ruin practically all facets of your life, not least your livelihood. If your employer decides to use drug testing Albuquerque in the workplace to find out which of its employees are coming into work under the influence, it could be your head on the chopping block. “In addition to the potential lives saved thanks to the interception of this shipment of heroin, today’s sentencing sends the message that if you attempt to bring killer drugs to DuPage County you will be caught, prosecuted and sentenced to a significant amount of time behind bars. I would like to thank Amtrak authorities, the DEA as well as the Naperville Police Department for their cooperative efforts on this case. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Claudia Fantauzzo for her work in preparing a strong case against Mr. Lara-Cardenas and for her continued efforts in keeping dangerous narcotics out of our communities and away from our children.”
Lara-Cardenas must serve 75% before being eligible for parole.
