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7 charged in Chicago grocery store parking lot drug sales investigation, sheriff says

By Nic Flosi
Published  December 3, 2025 7:29am CST
South Loop
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Cook County Sheriff’s Police say seven people face 11 felony counts tied to weed sales near a South Loop grocery store.
    • Investigators made multiple undercover buys before making arrests on Nov. 25.
    • One suspect was already in custody on unrelated charges.

CHICAGO - A weeks-long investigation into complaints about drug sales near a Chicago grocery store led to felony charges against seven people, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

What we know:

Investigators focused on the area of Roosevelt Road and Wabash Avenue after residents reported drug deals occurring in and near the parking lot of a South Loop grocery store.

Over several weeks, officers made undercover buys to identify alleged sellers.

Six people were arrested on Nov. 25, all Chicago residents accused of selling marijuana:

  • James Macklin, 47
  • Richard King, 34
  • Fred Clarke, 33
  • Diane Jones, 37
  • Edward Coaks, 27
  • Kylen Washington, 21

James Macklin, Richard King, Fred Clarke, Diane Jones, Edward Coaks, Kylen Washington, and Eric Harrington | Cook County Sheriff's Office

A seventh suspect, 36-year-old Eric Harrington, was already being held at Cook County Jail on unrelated charges.

In total, the men were hit with 11 felony manufacture/delivery charges.

The Source: The information in this story came from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

South LoopCrime and Public SafetyNews