Cop posing as UPS agent makes drug bust

Two Lake County residents were charged with drug-related crimes after accepting a package of marijuana sent to them from Arizona through the United Parcel Service, police said.

Nikema C. Parker, 33, of the 2300 block of 14th Street in Waukegan, and Michael Womack, 26, of the 3000 block of 20th Place in North Chicago, are free on bond after receiving the package delivered Tuesday afternoon by an undercover officer posing as a UPS delivery driver, said Sgt. Christopher Thompson of the Lake County Sheriff's Department. Both are due back in court on April 7.

Thompson said Lake County investigators received a call Monday from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona. Officials said they intercepted a suspicious package at UPS scheduled to be delivered to Parker's home address in Waukegan.

Sheriff's investigators located the package at the UPS distribution center in Gurnee Tuesday, and Lake County police K-9 Zulu sniffed out drugs inside the package. After getting a search warrant, Thompson said, the package was opened and about 4.2 pounds of marijuana was discovered.

Investigators repackaged the box for delivery, and the undercover officer drove the package to Parker's Waukegan address, Thompson said.

Investigators descended on the home after Womack accepted the package from the undercover officer, Thompson said.

Deputies also discovered illegal fireworks in the residence following a search of the home, Thompson said.

Womack and Parker each were charged with single counts of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, possession of cannabis, and a misdemeanor count of unlawful possession of fireworks.

If convicted of the crimes, the two could face up to 10 years in prison, Thompson said.

"We cannot thank UPS enough for their continued cooperation in drug-related cases like this," said Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran. "Our investigators did an outstanding job teaming up with them."

By Lee Filas
Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=363668