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Posted: Friday, 05 June 2009 5:52AM
Garage break-in leads to largest-ever Matteson pot bust
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MATTESON, Ill. (STNG) -- For one married Matteson couple, their second house wasn't a ritzy vacation home on a lake or a piece of property to be rented out for some extra monthly cash.
Instead, their unassuming second home 1 1/2 miles away was left vacant. Except for the nearly 500 pounds of marijuana hidden away in the garage, uncovered after two thieves broke in and stole half the drugs, leading police on a chase.
Evlicia Jackson-Long, 30, and Roy Long, 32, of the 21300 block of Barn Owl Drive, were charged with felony possession of marijuana and distribution of marijuana after investigators turned up the stash, police said.
Police said that although the couple lived at their Barn Owl Drive residence with their three children, they used the second home in the 6200 block of Streamwood Lane to hide their drugs.
The investigation began after a neighbor spotted two men breaking into the Streamwood Lane garage about 1 p.m. May 1 and called police, police said.
When an officer arrived on the scene, the men fled in a Buick LaSabre, leaving a gallon-sized bag of marijuana between the garage's door and storm door, police said.
Police pursued the men, and Matteson police Sgt. Tom Johnson pulled the car over on Interstate 57, south of the Lincoln Highway exit.
Inside the vehicle, officers discovered clear bags and cardboard boxes containing about 237 pounds of marijuana, police said.
The men in the car, Antoinne Kelly, 29, of University Park, and Anthony Morris, 41, of Chicago Heights, were charged with felony possession of marijuana, police said.
"They heard from someone that there was some major weed in there, some major weight," Matteson police Detective Michael Jones said.
After the arrest, police searched the garage and found an additional 235 pounds of marijuana, as well as empty cardboard boxes, packaging tape, digital scales and a marijuana-cutting machine.
The couple was arrested and charged on May 15.
Police said the seized pot had a value of between $400,000 and $600,000. The marijuana did not appear to come from any drug cartel outside of the United States.
Police officials said it was the largest seizure of marijuana in the history of the Matteson.
According to police, the couple were operating a marijuana packaging business within the residence.
"Sooner or later, you're going to get caught," Matteson police Sgt. Jeremy Sims said. "It's better not to get involved. Greed had a lot to do with it."
Arvin said the investigation "still has many avenues."
"There may be additional charges in the future depending where the investigation goes," he said.
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