Cocaine Dealer Set Up Shop in 'Medically Challenged' Woman's Home

Berwyn, IL - Riverside police arrested an alleged west suburban drug dealer who reportedly gave cocaine to a 59-year-old Berwyn woman in exchange for the use of her apartment for drug distribution.

A search warrant was executed April 28 in the 6200 block of 21st Street in Berwyn by the Riverside Police Department, members from the West Suburban Enhanced Drug Gang Enforcement Task Force and the Cook County Sheriff's police canine unit.

In the apartment, police found 70 grams of cocaine, 93 yellow hydrocodone pills, three white hydrocodone pills and 17 grams of cannabis, according to Riverside police.

They also found bags used for packaging narcotics, cutting materials for packaging and distributing cocaine, more than $1,000 cash from narcotics sales and other distribution and packaging materials.

Heather A. Niemotka, 41 of the 23000 block of W. Hickory Lane in Plainfield, was arrested and charged with manufactured delivery of cocaine, possession of cocaine, manufactured delivery of cannabis, possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Riverside police.

Manufacture and delivery is a Class X felony and carries a prison sentence up to 30 years, if convicted.

Randy T. Pafford, 54 of the 6200 block of West 21st Street in Berwyn, was also arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, police reported.

Police took the 59-year-old resident of the rented Berwyn apartment into protective custody.

Riverside Police Chief and WEDGE chairperson Thomas Weitzel said the woman didn't have the capacity to understand what was happening in her home.

"The actions of the target in this investigation, Heather Niemotka, are simply put, appalling," he said in a statement. "She used the residence of a medically challenged 59 year old who she was charged with taking care of and actually set up a cocaine distribution and sales point from that apartment. She not only used the apartment but also supplied her with weekly amounts of cocaine in order to meet some of her financial requirements for rent."

Police reported the Berwyn woman employed Niemotka to take her to the grocery store, clean her house, bathe her and provide general care because of her medical limitations. As part of the deal, Niemotka would also give her a weekly supply of cocaine.

Niemotka reportedly moved all of her product through the Berwyn apartment, where she cut, packaged and sold the drugs.

Niemotka hoped law enforcement would be thrown off by the fact that she lived in Plainfield but operated out of Berwyn, police reported.

The management company for the apartment building has been served with nuisance abatement papers.

Photos courtesy of Riverside police.