Aurora police say a narcotics search warrant served at a Montgomery home around 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 turned up seven firearms, nearly 1,000 grams of suspected drugs, and more than $1,200 in cash, leading to felony charges against a 33-year-old Aurora man police describe as a gang member. A second Aurora resident was also arrested at the scene on a child endangerment charge.
Investigators searched a home in the 100 block of Hillstone Road in Montgomery as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation involving Julio C. Chairez, according to a release detailed by fox32chicago.com. Aurora police department investigators carried out the search alongside the Kendall County Sheriff's Office, which assisted in the operation, according to Patch.
Seven Firearms, Including a Sawed-Off Shotgun
Among the weapons recovered were a Glock 43 9mm handgun with a defaced serial number, a Cobra .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun, an Amadeo Rossi .38-caliber revolver, a Stoeger 410 shotgun with a sawed-off barrel, a Smith & Wesson M&P .223-caliber rifle, a Highpoint 995 9mm firearm, and a Norinco SKS 7.62 rifle. Police told fox32chicago.com that the haul included a handgun with a defaced serial number and a shotgun with a sawed-off barrel among the seven guns seized.
Investigators also recovered numerous rounds of ammunition along with digital scales and narcotics packaging materials, pointing to what police described as an active drug operation inside the home. Officers additionally found about $1,214 in U.S. currency at the property.
Cocaine, Cannabis, and a Powder That Tested Positive for Fentanyl
On the drug side, the search produced 128 grams of suspected cocaine, 585 grams of suspected cannabis, and 251 grams of brownish powder that field-tested positive for both heroin and fentanyl, according to the same report. The presence of fentanyl in the mix is notable given how small a dose of the synthetic opioid can be lethal.
Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas said the investigation reflects coordinated work between agencies to target illegal drugs and firearms, and that recovering weapons and suspected narcotics — including substances that tested positive for heroin and fentanyl — helps reduce the risks tied to illegal distribution.
Charges Against Chairez and a Second Arrest
Chairez, identified by police as a 33-year-old Aurora resident and gang member, was charged with more than a dozen felony offenses tied to the search, per the Aurora Police Department release. Those counts include the class X felony of manufacture or delivery of 100 to 400 grams of cocaine, possession of 100 to 400 grams of cocaine, manufacture or delivery of 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis, and possession of cannabis.
He also faces eight counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and a charge of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, according to the release. A separate account from Patch similarly listed the eight weapon-possession counts among the charges Chairez faces. If convicted of the class X felony alone, Chairez could face up to 30 years in prison. Police said additional charges against him could still be pending.
Keena L. Walker, also a 33-year-old Aurora resident, was arrested at the scene and charged with child endangerment. Police said Walker was issued a notice to appear in court, while Chairez was being held at the Kendall County Jail, according to fox32chicago.com's report, which noted he was due back in court Nov. 6. Police have described the broader investigation as ongoing.
