State Crime Reports

Three More Individuals Charged With Conspiring To Manufacture Marijuana In Rockford Warehouse On 11th Street


ROCKFORD —(ENEWSPF)–October 6, 2015.  A federal grand jury in Rockford returned a superseding indictment today charging seven individuals, six men and a woman, with conspiring to manufacture, possess and distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants.  The superseding indictment charges four individuals, JEREMIAH N. CLEMENT, 37, of Des Plaines, Ill., GEORGE H. BACUS, 51, of Niles, Ill., YOUSIF Y. PIRA, 62, of Chicago, Ill., and JUSTIN T. PAGLUSCH, 33, of Ingleside, Ill., who had previously been indicted on April 21, 2015, and three additional individuals,  SHLIMON SHIMON, 47, of Chicago, Ill., CASEY WILLIAMS, 28, of Great Falls, Mont., and DESTINY FREEMAN, of Palmer, Alaska.  The indictment alleges that between Jan. 2, 2013, and Jan. 6, 2015, the defendants conspired to illegally grow and store marijuana in a warehouse located at 1916 11th Street in Rockford.  The warehouse was destroyed by a fire on Jan. 6, 2015.

Arrest warrants were issued for Shimon, Williams and Freeman and they are still at large.  Clement, Bacus and Pira were arrested in April 2015.  Clement is in federal custody and Bacus and Pira were released pending trial.  An arrest warrant for Paglusch was issued on April 21, 2015, and he is still at large.  The ATF has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Paglusch’s arrest. Call ATF Tip Line – 1-888-ATF-TIPS  or 1-888-283-8477.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.  If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The indictment was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffery A. Magee, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Derek Bergsten, Chief of the Rockford Fire Department.  The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit and Rockford Police Department Narcotics Unit assisted in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.

Related Material:

Superseding Indictment

Source: www.justice.gov

 


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