Opinion ID: 793069
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Attempt to Purchase Cocaine

Text: 15 In May of 2002, around the time that the white Cadillac was seized, Diaz made another trip to Mexico with the government's authorization. While in Mexico, Diaz met an individual and discussed with him the possible purchase of between 70 and 75 kilograms of cocaine. After returning from Mexico, Diaz informed Carrillo of this opportunity. On July 1, 2002, Carrillo told Diaz that Herrera had a customer who wanted to purchase 25 kilograms of the cocaine. On July 2, 2002, Carrillo and Diaz discussed doing a drug deal with Herrera's customer and decided to inform Herrera that money would need to be paid up front for this deal. Usually, Carrillo would front drugs to Herrera, but on this deal the individuals supplying the cocaine would want money immediately. On July 11, 2002, Carrillo, Herrera, and Diaz met to finalize the details of the deal. Portions of this meeting were recorded by the government. By this time, Herrera's prospective customer had dropped out of the deal, but Herrera and Carrillo had decided to go in together to purchase the cocaine from Diaz's source. Diaz and Herrera discussed money, and Herrera said that he could come up with somewhere between $105,000 and $150,000. Carrillo and Herrera told Diaz to bring the drugs to the home in Palatine where the deal could be completed. Diaz understood that the drug deal would occur on the next day, July 12, 2002, at the home in Palatine. The meeting ended, and DEA agents saw a man, later identified as Herrera, enter a green Chevy Blazer and drive away. 16 On the following day, DEA agents set up surveillance around the home in Palatine. The agents observed the same green Chevy Blazer they had earlier attributed to Herrera parked in the driveway of the home, along with a four-door Oldsmobile. The agents' cover was quickly broken as one of them was spotted, which resulted in two individuals fleeing the home and driving off. The agents embarked on a high-speed chase of the Blazer as it weaved through traffic and eventually caught up with the Blazer, pulled it over, and learned that Herrera was the driver. A subsequent search of the Blazer uncovered a trap compartment containing $150,095. Both the Blazer and the money were seized. At that time, Herrera denied knowing of the trap or ownership of the money, but some time later, Herrera's attorney filed a notice on behalf of Herrera with the DEA asserting ownership of the Blazer and the seized cash. Herrera personally signed the claim. 17 While agents chased Herrera, another agent contacted the police department in East Chicago requesting that an officer look for an Oldsmobile believed to be driven by Carrillo. Early in the morning of July 13, 2002, officers discovered an Oldsmobile at Carrillo's home. As he got out of the car, Carrillo was arrested. 18 On September 26, 2002, agents executed a search warrant on the home in Palatine and noticed Herrera driving by the home. During the search, agents entered the garage and discovered the black Cadillac Miranda had used to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. At that time, the car was still registered to Miranda, and its driveshaft was missing. Inside the car, agents found wrappings with cocaine residue and a scale box.