Judge finds 2.4 kilos of cocaine in car of man who skipped trial

Juan C. Cruz Aceves, 32, was not present when a Kane County judge found him guilty of possessing more than two kilograms of cocaine. The conviction follows a three-day bench trial that concluded on October 23. Cruz Aceves had waived his right to a jury trial, so his attorney represented him in his absence.

Kane County Judge D.J. Tegeler found Cruz Aceves guilty of two felonies. The first charge is unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class X felony. The second is unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony. The judge revoked Cruz Aceves' pretrial release and issued a warrant for his arrest.

The case began on May 24, 2021, when an Illinois State Police trooper stopped Cruz Aceves for speeding on westbound Interstate 90. The stop occurred near mile marker 44.25, between the Route 20 and Route 47 interchanges. At the time of the stop, Cruz Aceves lived in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The trooper determined that Cruz Aceves did not have a valid driver's license or valid insurance coverage for the vehicle. Prosecutors said the car was towed. During a tow inventory, officers found a backpack containing about 2.4 kilograms of cocaine.

The drugs were packaged in two brick-style bundles wrapped in black tape and plastic. Prosecutors estimated the street value of the cocaine at about $200,000. Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Hillary Sadler and Jake Matekaitis presented the case at trial.

Cruz Aceves faces a prison sentence of between 15 and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The court may sentence him even if he skips his sentencing hearing. Sadler said the defendant chose to absent himself from the trial but will not evade the consequences of his illegal activity. She also thanked the Illinois State Police, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Aurora Police Department for their help in bringing the case to trial.

Cruz Aceves is scheduled to appear in court again on December 18 for motions and sentencing. The hearing will be held at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles.