18 Indicted In Illegal Gun, Drug Bust; 3 Still At Large: Police

AURORA, IL — An operation by the Aurora Police Department resulted in 18 people charged with various illegal gun and drug-related felonies, officials announced Thursday. However, three of those people are still at large.

Operation Kilo Kai began in the fall of 2019, when police said they received information that a street gang known as the Latin Kings were dealing narcotics and illegal firearms within the city.

A spokesman for Aurora said investigators from APD's Special Operations Group (SOG) spent two years looking into the group's operations and found illegal firearms and narcotics within the city limits of Aurora, Elgin, Montgomery and DeKalb.

A total of 18 people were indicted, but only 15 were in custody as of Wednesday, according to a news release. Two men were already in custody on unrelated charges, and three men accused of drug-related offenses have not been located. The FBI, Elgin and DeKalb police helped Aurora police with the arrests.

"The Aurora Police Department and this city has no tolerance for people who bring illegal guns and drugs into our city," wrote new Police Chief Keith Cross in an email. "One of my top priorities is reduce violent crime in our city and this is a prime example of what our officers, investigators and professional staff are doing every day to keep our community safe."

According to a statement, every person indicted was a member or affiliated in some way with the Latin King gang.

• Jose E. Mondragon, 24, on three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Ivan Mondragon, 20, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Alejandro Aguilar, 26, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Ignacio Lopez, 24, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Alonso Sanchez, 23, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Fernando Castellanos, 24, on one count of possession of a firearm by a gang member, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.
• Fernando Marin-Tello, 35, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Ross Ortega, 46, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Miguel Cervantes, 26, on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of aggravated unlawful use of weapon, one count of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.
• Gregorio Valenzuela, 26, on one count of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.
• Ismael Meraz, 43, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Francisco Lechuga, 28, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Jorge Barrios, 25, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• Adrian Betsinger, 24, who is in jail in Kane County, was charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.
• David Ponce, 22, currently in state prison, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Investigators are asking for the public's help in finding three men due to be charged in Kane County. They are Diego Casas, Salvador Hernandez and Jose Ramirez.

All three are accused of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Those who have information on the men's whereabouts can call SOG at 630-256-5500 or email tips@aurora.il.us. Crime Stoppers can also be called at 630-892-1000 to report information anonymously with the chance of a $5,000 cash reward if the information leads to the capture of felony fugitives.