A pre-dawn parole compliance check in Chicago Heights ended with multiple firearms, suspected narcotics and thousands of dollars in cash seized Thursday morning, and two men taken into custody, authorities said. Investigators with the Cook County Sheriff’s office say the sweep, triggered by a tip about a parolee, uncovered loaded weapons, safes and a sizable stash of suspected drugs inside the home.
The sheriff’s office identified the men as Deandre Phillips and his brother, Vetaw Jasper. Phillips, who officials say is on parole, faces armed-violence and multiple drug charges, while Jasper was charged as a repeat-felony firearm offender, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. The office noted in its statement that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What Investigators Say They Found
According to the Facebook statement from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, investigators found a loaded firearm in Phillips’ bedroom, along with a safe that contained suspected cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms, ammunition and thousands of dollars in cash. In Jasper’s bedroom, officers reported recovering a loaded firearm and an unloaded firearm.
A second safe in the dining room allegedly held another unloaded gun, plus suspected morphine, ecstasy, crack cocaine and cocaine, according to the sheriff’s account. For a single compliance check, that is a substantial haul.
How The Compliance Check Unfolded
Cook County Sheriff’s Police Organized Crime Division investigators joined Illinois Department of Corrections parole agents for the early morning operation, which the sheriff’s office says began at about 5:45 a.m. Officials said the visit was a parole compliance check that followed a tip, which directed investigators to the residence and led to the search.
Legal Implications
The charges listed by the sheriff’s office, including armed violence, multiple manufacture or delivery and possession counts, and a repeat-offender firearms allegation, carry potentially serious prison time. For a parolee, a case like this could also trigger a move to revoke supervised release.
Under Illinois law, a person on parole must “permit the agent to visit him or her at his or her home” and “refrain from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon,” according to the Illinois General Assembly.
Nearby Operations And Context
Sheriff Tom Dart’s office has been running similar narcotics and weapons operations in south suburban communities in recent months, with other raids also turning up firearms and suspected drugs, according to local reporting. For instance, a search in early January at a home in Ford Heights led to the recovery of several firearms, drugs and other items, according to Patch.
How To Pass Tips To Authorities
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information to reach out. Tips can be submitted through an online form on the Cook County Sheriff’s Office website or by calling the Sheriff’s Police patrol desk at 708-865-4790. Officials say tips can be shared anonymously and are reviewed by the office’s intelligence unit.
