Confidential informants often play significant roles in Illinois drug cases. In one such case, a 26-year-old woman from Chicago Ridge was arrested after police accused her of selling cocaine to one of their confidential informants. The woman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after authorities said that they arranged for an informant to arrange to purchase drugs from the woman. After the woman and the informant agreed to meet in Worth, police also went to the area to watch the transaction.
Police said that they witnessed the woman exchange 1.5 grams of cocaine with the informant for $200 in cash. After the transaction, police followed the car she was riding in and pulled it over. At the traffic stop, the woman allegedly claimed responsibility for the drugs, saying that the person driving the car had no knowledge or involvement. Police said that the woman also had a pending misdemeanor charge. She was earlier accused of resisting arrest after she allegedly jumped out of a moving car to avoid police.
Confidential informants are not the same as undercover police. Instead, they provide information to police about other people. They may have their own reasons to serve as informants; some may seek financial compensation while others might look for leniency with other pending criminal charges. In some cases, confidential informants have been accused of manufacturing evidence and breaking the law in an attempt to help themselves by garnering arrests for the police.
Someone facing drug charges might be concerned if a confidential informant was involved in their case. A criminal defense attorney could help the defendant craft a strong defense that challenges the credibility of an informant and counters police and prosecution allegations.