A jury Thursday convicted two men of drug trafficking in what police said was the largest drug seizure in county history.
The verdict climaxed a seven-week trial in which an admitted drug dealer was the prosecution’s key witness. In an effort to discredit her, the defense countered with testimony from the head of the Du Page County state’s attorney’s narcotics unit.
Uvaldo Lechuga, 37, of Plainfield and Victor Rivera, 35, of Addison were found guilty on charges of possession and intent to deliver more than 900 grams of cocaine. Both face prison terms of 15 to 60 years when they are sentenced by Circuit Judge Angelo Pistilli on March 15.
Assistant State’s Atty. John Espar had urged the seven-man, five-woman jury to convict the pair because of what he called “overwhelming evidence” regarding their involvement in the drug trade.
Much of that evidence came from Irene “Monica” Lluberes of Chicago, the admitted drug dealer who was given immunity for her testimony. Lluberes never denied that part of her background, saying that other family members were also drug dealers and that she had been recruited to help deliver drugs by both an uncle from New York City and Lechuga.
Lluberes was arrested in November 1991 and told police about a Bensenville apartment that she said Lechuga used to store drugs. Police raided the apartment and found 4 kilos of cocaine. Lluberes said that Lechuga and Rivera had given her drugs to deliver on numerous occasions.
Attacking her testimony quickly became the focal point for defense lawyers Anthony Montemurro and George Lenard. During closing arguments, both accused the woman of lying. Montemurro said police never launched an investigation into her allegations.
One of the few defense witnesses was Robert Spence, an assistant state’s attorney from Du Page County who contradicted some of Lluberes’ testimony about her knowledge of the value of the cocaine and her business dealings with Lechuga.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Espar insisted that the two men had run a multimillion-dollar operation that involved secret ledger codes and a paper trail of various cars and residences.
The two men were arrested Jan. 23, 1992, while awaiting someone authorities claimed was a drug buyer. Although $100,000 in cash was discovered in the car, no drugs were found either in the auto or in Lechuga’s expensive Plainfield home.
That same night, police searched a 53,000-acre farm on Stuenkel Road in the eastern part of the county and discovered a 1981 Pontiac Bonneville that contained 7 kilos of cocaine.
More Top Picks Best Desk Organizers For Students