A 29-year-old Illinois man and a 29-year-old Illinois woman were taken into custody on narcotics charges on March 10 when the Lansing Police Department executed a search warrant at an Oak Avenue hotel. An unspecified quantity of cocaine was allegedly discovered during the search. The operation was conducted by officers attached to the LPD’s Tactical Unit. Both of the suspects were transported from the scene to a felony bond hearing held at a courthouse in Markham. They were subsequently released on their own recognizance.
A LPD spokesperson said that the investigation into the couple’s alleged illegal activities was assisted greatly by information provided by members of the public, but initial reports do not indicate the nature of the information provided. A LPD social media post states that the two suspects were arrested at the scene, but it does not reveal how much cocaine was seized and whether or not any other evidence was discovered during the room search.
The man faces felony counts of drug possession and drug possession with the intent to distribute. The woman has been charged with being in possession of a controlled substance. According to media reports, the man has been charged with manufacturing and delivering illegal narcotics in the past. The LPD says that the investigation remains active and has set up a tip line that the public can use to provide information anonymously.
Search warrants are only issued when law enforcement can establish probable cause to believe that evidence of illegal activity will be discovered. When searches were conducted based on anonymous tips or information gathered from informants, experienced criminal defense attorneys may study search warrant applications carefully to ensure that the probable cause standard was met. If the facts suggest that warrants were issued improperly or police went beyond boundaries put into place by the issuing judge, attorneys could seek to have the evidence found excluded and drug charges dismissed.