Six men are facing felony charges after a months-long investigation into alleged drug and firearm sales in west suburban Aurora.
The eight-month investigation involved confidential informants and undercover, controlled narcotics and weapons purchases, according to Aurora police, who conducted the investigation with the FBI and the Kane County state’s attorney’s office. All purchases were video or audio recorded and happened in various locations across Aurora, Montgomery and North Aurora.
The investigation netted about 61 grams of cocaine, 11 grams of heroin, and a .270-caliber rifle with 19 rounds of ammunition, police said. Most of the investigation’s targets have documented criminal histories with narcotics, weapons and other alleged violent offenses.
Five of the six men who were charged were taken into custody on June 8 after about 40 Aurora police officers and FBI special agents executed arrest warrants at the suspects’ homes or places they were known to frequent, police said. The sixth man remains at large.
Paul Woodard, a 40-year-old Aurora resident, was charged with two counts of being an armed habitual criminal; one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school; two counts each of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon; unlawful delivery of a controlled substance; and unlawful sale or delivery of a firearm, police said. Woodard was being held at the Kane County Correctional Center, where his bail was set at $500,000.
Randy Stewart, a 47-year-old Aurora resident, was charged with four counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park and four counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, police said. He was being held at the Kane County Correctional Center, and his bail was set at $250,000.
Anthony S. Birks, a 55-year-old Aurora resident; and Kevin Thompson, a 34-year-old Batavia resident; were each charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school or park and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, police said. Both men were held at the Kane County correctional center, where bail was set at $450,000 for Birks and $250,00 for Thompson.
Ronald Burt, a 47-year-old Aurora resident, was charged with one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park and one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, police said. His bail information was not immediately available.
Police were still looking for Raymond Johnson, a 36-year-old Aurora resident, who has been charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school or park and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, police said. He was described as a 6-foot-3, 280-pound black man with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Johnson’s whereabouts should contact the Aurora Police Special Operations Group Investigators at (630) 256-5600 or their local law enforcement agency at 911, police said.
People can submit anonymous tips and qualify for up to $5,000 in reward money by calling the Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000, police said. Tips can also be submitted through the Aurora Police Department’s free app, “My Police Department.”
