Elgin drug case dropped because of accused Schaumburg cop connection
The fallout from three former Schaumburg detectives accused of misconduct continues as Kane County prosecutors recently dropped a case against an Elgin man arrested during a cocaine sale in July 2011.
One of the accused Schaumburg detectives had a confidential source that provided Elgin authorities with information about Tommy Phillips, who was arrested after a bag of cocaine was found in his car’s ashtray, according to authorities and court records.
Phillips, 27, of 600 block of West Highland Ave., had faced six to 30 years in prison on charges of possession more than 15 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver after a July 8, 2011, arrest in Elgin, records show.
Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said his office conducted an internal review of cases after the arrests of three Schaumburg detectives last month.
Matthew Hudak, John Cichy, and Terrance O’Brien all have resigned from their posts and face a minimum of 24 years in prison if convicted on drug conspiracy charges. Authorities say the trio essentially set up their own narcotics dealing business.
McMahon said O’Brien played an “integral part” in Phillips’ arrest in 2011. In Cook County, charges have been or will be dropped against 17 defendants.
In Phillips’ case, according to court records, a confidential informant worked with a Schaumburg detective to provide information about a drug dealer who liked to sell drugs in an Elgin hotel parking lot. The information was passed along to Elgin detectives, who set up a sting and were told the dealer had an older model gray Mercury Marquis, large wheel rims and preferred to keep the drugs he was selling in his car’s ashtray, court records show.
A man matching Phillips’ description pulled up in a car and did a slow loop around the parking lot before going to a gas station. After Elgin police surrounded him, he got out of the car and said, “What you’re looking for is in the ashtray,” records show.
Police seized 16.8 grams of cocaine and $1,500 cash from Phillips; the charges were dismissed Jan. 24.
Phillips’ defense attorney, Glenn Jazweic, could not immediately be reached for comment.