Often, local law enforcement in Illinois relies on tips provided by members of the community. Sometimes, the information provided is accurate and results in arrests on a drug charge or other offense. Other times, the information is inaccurate and causes legal difficulties for innocent people. Police in Rockford say they recently received information that drugs were being sold from a particular apartment, resulting in the arrest of three people.
The Narcotics Unit of the Rockford Police Department sought a search warrant based upon a general tip that drugs were being sold at a particular location said to be within 1000 feet of a church. When officers served the warrant, there were apparently four people inside the apartment. However, only two of them were arrested. A third individual that apparently tried to enter the apartment while police were inside was arrested on unrelated charges.
Authorities only identified the people they placed under arrest. From inside the dwelling, a 51-year-old local woman and a 32-year-old man were nabbed for possession with intent to deliver cocaine purportedly within 1000 feet of an unspecified church. The amount involved was said to be less than 1 gram, which equates to less than one tenth of one ounce.
There was no information on the relationship, if any, between the two individuals charged with a drug crime. Moreover, no information was provided on other occupants of the apartment. The third person arrested was a 24-year-old woman who purportedly tried to force her way into the apartment and was accused of assault on a peace officer after the door is said to have hit an officer in the head.
Authorities say they found a dozen individual baggies of what they believed to be crack during the raid. As the drug charge and assault allegations now head to an Illinois criminal courtroom, each accused person retains important legal rights. In addition to the presumption of innocence, they are all entitled to fair and impartial proceedings. It is the sole burden of the government to prove the charges by a measure of proof characterized as beyond a reasonable doubt. Unless and until that burden is achieved, the three individuals remain innocent of the accusations lodged against them.
Source: The Rockford Record, “Crime Stoppers tip results in drug arrests,” April 3, 2013