14 charged in FBI drug sting on West Side

More than a dozen people, including the owner of a Little Village auto body shop where the drug operation ran, are facing charges from a federal investigation into drug trafficking on the West Side.

Authorities arrested several of the defendants Wednesday, and seized nearly $60,000 in cash and a dozen firearms, in addition to the heroin, fentanyl, MDMA and cocaine that were stashed in the body shop, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The owner of the shop used the location to mix, package and store the drugs.

Johnathan Reyna, 25, of Berwyn, and Marco Mendoza, 24, of Lyons, ran the drug trafficking organization that distributed the heroin and fentanyl in Chicago, prosecutors said.

Corey Benson, 23, of Chicago, participated in by collecting payments, according to prosecutors. Anton Cole, 23, Anton Little Jr, 20, and Devontay Johnson, 26, all of Chicago, worked with Benson to deliver the heroin.

Prince Brunt, 36, of Chicago, owned the body shop in the 3300 block of West Cermak Road and allowed Benson to make and store the drugs at the shop, prosecutors said. Larry Jones, 55, and Commander White, 27, both of Chicago, helped distribute the drugs.

Undercover officers purchased heroin and MDMA from Johnson in 2017 from a home in the 4300 block of West Wilcox Street, which was maintained by Natasha Summerville, 30, of Chicago, prosecutors said. Johnson got the MDMA pills from Maurice Carroll, 28, and Henry Merrill, 31, both of Chicago, who were also charged in the complaint.

Detention hearings are scheduled for April 24. Five of the defendants were charged by the state and will appear in the Cook County Criminal Court.