Lake County authorities say they have charged a Waukegan-area man on more than a dozen drug counts for the sale of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
Travier L. Bunch, 32, of the 12800 block of West Harrison Avenue, was arrested May 9, and he was charged with 17 counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office said it received several tips from the community that Bunch was selling drugs. Undercover detectives bought drugs from him over the course of a month-long investigation, police said.
After learning that Bunch had a warrant for domestic battery, sheriff’s detectives and Waukegan police placed him under surveillance and took him into custody in the 600 block of Hill Street.
Bunch was ordered detained after Lake County prosecutors filed, and a judge granted, a petition seeking to have Bunch held until trial.
State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart cited Bunch’s detention as a positive feature of the Safe-T Act. The law eliminated cash bail in Illinois, but allows judges to order certain accused criminals detained.
“Drug traffickers … often have access to large amounts of cash,” he said. “Now, under the SAFE-T Act, when someone sells Fentanyl or other deadly drugs, we can end the revolving door of people using drug money to post bond.”
Rinehart’s opponent in this fall’s state’s attorney’s race, Mary Cole, issued a statement criticizing Rinehart, saying his office should have previously detained Bunch after he was arrested on a drug charge in January.
“While I am pleased that Mr. Bunch is now being detained, it doesn’t take a fortune teller to know that someone with a 15-year criminal history should have been detained before this latest potentially deadly crime occurred,” Cole said.
Armed robbery
An armed man stole cigarettes during a May 13 hold-up at a Deer Park convenience store, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The robbery happened at around 4:45 a.m. at the store in the 20000 block of North Rand Road, police said.
The clerk reported the hold-up, telling police that a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves, and armed with a gun, entered the store. The gunman pushed the clerk into a bathroom before taking cigarettes and leaving the area on foot.
The clerk was brought to a hospital after feeling light-headed. The robbery remains under investigation.
National Police Week
The week of May 12 was National Police Week, an annual remembrance of officers who have died in the line of duty. An annual remembrance ceremony was held on May 12 at the Lake County Courthouse’s Lincoln Square
In Lake Zurich, police asked residents to display a blue light bulb on the exteriors of homes as a way of marking the week. The department offered blue lights to residents.
The lights are a visible way for the community to show support for police as they patrol the community, Chief Steve Husak said.
Hiring event
If you are interested in a career in law enforcement, the village of Lincolnshire would like to talk to you.
Lincolnshire Police will hold a hiring event on June 5, from 9 a.m. to noon at the police station, at 1 Olde Half Day Road.
The department said participants will: Participate in on-site interviews with a guaranteed interview slot; learn more about the department; connect with key representatives and learn more about the police officer position; and gain insights into the agency’s culture, values and what sets Lincolnshire apart as an employer of choice.
For more information, visit www.lincolnshireil.gov/departments/police-department and check out the village of Lincolnshire’s social media pages. For questions, please contact LPDhiring@lincolnshireil.gov.
