Lake County Gang Member Facing Drugs, Firearms Charges

LAKE COUNTY, IL — The Lake County Sheriff's Special Investigations Group arrested a North Chicago man Thursday for drugs and weapons charges as the result of a several weeks-long investigation. According to a news release from the sheriff's office, the special investigations group conducted a search warrant at a home in the 1200 block of Lincoln Street in North Chicago Thursday. The person under investigation, 30-year-old Ruben A. Garcia, a documented street gang member of the same address, was found to have nearly 30 grams of cocaine packaged for distribution, two semiautomatic pistols, several rounds of ammunition, and drug paraphernalia, the news release said.

The investigation concluded with Garcia's arrest, according to the sheriff's office. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s office approved the following charges against Garcia:

• Felony armed habitual criminal
• Felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute
• Felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance
• Misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia

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“Removing illegally possessed firearms and drugs from our communities is the precise mission of the Special Investigations Group," Sheriff John Idleburg said, according to the news release. "I am thankful they moved quickly to keep this documented street gang member from being able to sell drugs or illegally possess firearms in our community.”

Garcia remains held in the Lake County Jail on $350,000 bail and is next due in court on Jan. 8, the news release said.