A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in felony charges against five people.
Three Chicago residents, 33-year-old Jared Daniels, 34-year-old Cristine Serrano, and 35-year-old Shernell Anderson, along with 43-year-old Larry Lemon of Brookfield, have been charged with drug conspiracy and distribution.
In addition, 33-year-old Chicago resident Jonathan Collins, along with Daniels and Serrano, has been charged with federal firearm offenses, the Northern District of Illinois US Attorney’s Office announced Friday morning.
An indictment unsealed in federal court in Chicago this week accuses Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024.
Collins, Daniels, and Serrano were charged with illegal possession of firearms, including handguns equipped with a switch device that allows the weapons to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger, according to prosecutors.
All five suspects are now in custody.
If convicted, Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon could face a life sentence in federal prison, with mandatory minimums ranging from ten to fifteen years. Collins faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The case was investigated as part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice-led nationwide initiative launched in March to increase prosecution of illegal immigration, cartels, human trafficking, and violent crime.
The authorities did not provide booking photos for anyone charged.
