11 Charged With Crack Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy For Street Gang

CHICAGO — Undercover officers and informants bought narcotics more than 50 times from a drug traffic operation made up of members of the La Familia Stones street gang, according to a recently unsealed federal criminal complaint.

The investigation into the "Del Toro Drug Trafficking Organization" shut down a telephone hotline used to order narcotics and led to trafficking conspiracy charges against 11 people, authorities said.

They include: Freddy Del Toro, 27, also known as "Fredo" and "Ricky"; Alexis Del Toro, 24, also known as "Tony"; and Bryan Del Toro, 22. Federal prosecutors identified all three as Elmwood Park residents.

Alexis Del Toro has been awaiting trial at the Cook County Jail since April 2022 on separate charges of murder in connection with the fatal Dec. 19, 2021, shooting of 25-year-old motorist Baghirov Gurban from another vehicle in the 5500 block of North Kedzie Avenue.

Another of member of the alleged operation, 19-year-old Hadar Garcia, of Chicago, is also awaiting trial on murder charges. He is accused of the slaying of 35-year-old Richard Robinette in a Dec. 18, 2021, drive-by shooting.

The court-appointed attorneys for both men said they worked for their family-owned construction company. And cars associated with the trafficking operation are registered to the Skokie home of a family member, according to the affidavit.

Between December 2021 and November 2022, the operation distributed more than 1.4 kilograms of crack cocaine to purchasers, primarily on the North Side of Chicago, according to the affidavit from a DEA agent in support of the charges.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chicago and Skokie police departments, the agent alleged.

During recorded conversations, members of the La Familia Stones street gang often swear "on stone" and refer to each other as "law" or "moe," with "moe" coming from the acronym for "men on earth," according to the DEA agent.

Starting in February 2022, a confidential source that had been providing information to Skokie police for about nine months in exchange for cash identified Freddy Del Toro's phone number and provided "information regarding the narcotics trafficking activity" of the Del Toro narcotics operation.

Another of those charged in the alleged operation, 35-year-old former Morton Grove resident Eduart Hoxha, led police on a high-speed chase from Indiana after purchasing illegal guns on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.

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The affidavit cites a phone conversation recorded as officers attempted to pull over Hoxha's car.

"They're gonna get my ass," Hoxha said.

"For what? Where are you?" replied the woman he called.

"I'm in Indiana. They're gonna get me. I'm in Indiana," Hoxha said.

"For what?" she asked.

"For getting a bunch of guns on me, bro. I got a bunch of rifles on me right now," he replied.

Other Chicago residents facing related trafficking conspiracy charges include, 35-year-old Karina Jimenez, also known as "Kay Kay" and "Rina," 26-year-old Jonas "Guero" Castillo, 24-year-=old Alex Hernandez, also known as "Joey" and "Biggie," 22-year-old Ruben Valencia, and 20-year-old Jesenia "J-Dog" Calle.

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The investigation also led to charges for 27-year-old Evanston resident Kevin Ramirez.

According to the 117-page affidavit, Ramirez twice sold cocaine to undercover agents. In one of them — a recorded Aug. 30, 2022, transaction — Ramirez sold six plastic bags containing cocaine to an undercover agent for $300 in a parking lot at 7220 W. Foster Ave.

"'They're all right there. The three G's [three grams of cocaine] they 're all halves [packaged in half grams,'" Ramirez said, according to the DEA affidavit, which said the baggies were later sent in for testing.

"Laboratory testing concluded that the substances weighed approximately 2.55 grams," it said, "and contained cocaine."