Former Burr Ridge Resident Convicted on Cocaine Conspiracy, Kidnapping, Racketeering

A former resident was convicted today on charges of murder and racketeering, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Hector Uriarte was one of five people, including a former Chicago Police officer, who were tried on charges connected to the conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Uriarte, 33, formerly of Burr Ridge and his brother Jorge Uriarte, 31, formerly of Oak Forest, were each convicted of participating in a racketeering (RICO) conspiracy that included kidnappings, robberies, and drug-trafficking spanning a decade from 1998 to 2009. Both are in custody.

Deputy Chief Tim Vaclav said they had no dealings with Hector Uriarte when he reportedly lived in Burr Ridge, but Burr Ridge Police did help take him into custody on May 19, 2003 for a burglary in Cicero.

Cicero police said that Hector Uriarte also was a suspect in a reported threat in 2008, but was not arrested in connection with the charge.

Hector and Jorge Uriarte, along with retired Chicago Police Officer Glenn Lewellen, Chicago residents Tony Sparkman, 25, and Robert Cardena, 32, were free on bond, but were immediately taken into federal custody after the jury convicted them today of conspiracy to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine with certain members and associates of a criminal organization directed by Saul Rodriguez, 36, formerly of Countryside.

Lewellen, 55, formerly of Chicago and Las Vegas and most recently of south suburban Frankfort, was a Chicago police officer from 1986 to 2002. Prosecutors say Lewellen provided information to his cohorts about ongoing federal criminal investigations into their activities.

Lewellen faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The jury did not reach a verdict on whether Lewellen also participated in the racketeering (RICO) conspiracy.

The case began when Rodriguez and others were arrested in April 2009 after they conspired to steal hundreds of kilograms of purported cocaine from a warehouse in southwest suburban Channahon as part of an undercover sting operation. Rodriguez and three co-defendants pleaded guilty and testified as government witnesses at the trial.

A total of 11 defendants were eventually indicted in the case.         

In addition to Rodriguez, other co-defendants who pleaded guilty and testified were Fares Umar, 38; Andres Flores, 29; and Jorge Lopez, 37, all of Chicago. Rodriguez is facing a sentence of 40 years in prison under the terms of his plea agreement.       

The jury was deadlocked on the RICO conspiracy count against another Uriarte brother, Manuel Uriarte, 34, formerly of Chicago and Watsonville, Calif. The jury, however, found him not guilty of two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Manuel Uriarte remains in custody pending further proceedings. A status hearing has been scheduled for him for Feb. 15.       

The officials had no immediate comment on the whether the deadlocked counts would be re-tried. 

The partial verdicts against Lewellen, and the five trial co-defendants were rendered after two weeks of deliberations, following a two-month trial that began in November in federal court.

“We are pleased with the guilty verdicts that were returned today in a very significant case,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. 

Fitzgerald was joined by Jack Riley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Alvin Patton, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. 

The investigation was conducted under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).        

The narcotics distribution conspiracy count against Lewellen, Hector and Jorge Uriarte, Sparkman, and Cardena carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison and a $4 million fine. 

As a result of also being convicted of kidnapping and firearms offenses, Hector and Jorge Uriarte and Sparkman each face mandatory minimum sentences totaling 42 years. 

*The above case background and information on today's conviction was provided in a media announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.