MAN FREE ON BAIL IN DRUG DEATH ARRESTED AGAIN

The first person in Illinois charged with homicide involving the
powerful painkiller fentanyl has been arrested again on a new drug
charge, but this time a judge ordered him held in jail at least until
a hearing Feb. 8.

Corey Crump, 36, had been free on bail since last August, when he was
charged causing the drug-induced homicide of Joseph Krecker, 17, the
son of the Franklin Park Deputy Police Chief Jack Krecker.
Prosecutors alleged that Crump had sold Joseph the tainted drug that
killed him.

After Crump was arrested late Wednesday, he told Chicago police that
he had continued to sell drugs after he was released on bail,
Assistant Cook County State's Atty. Anna Demacopoulos said Thursday
in court. He had been freed after posting 10 percent of his $80,000 bail.

After his arrest Wednesday, Crump offered to make a deal with police
by giving up his drug source in exchange for his freedom, Demacopoulos said.

She quoted Crump as saying, "I'll be off the street in 6 months
anyway because I'm going to get 30 years on the murder."

An alleged gang member, Crump was spotted Wednesday night by police
in the 2600 block North Harding Avenue, where he was alleged to have
been placing foil packets under the hood of a car.

The officers saw Crump leaving a gangway holding a bag, and watched
him hide it in a car engine, said police Comdr. Nicholas Roti, the
head of narcotics and gang investigations section. Police said
Thursday that they believe the packets contained heroin.

Crump was charged with possession of a controlled substance with
intent to deliver.

When Jack Krecker learned Thursday of Crump's new arrest, he said he
was not surprised. "I understand the jail is full, but I never
thought it was a high enough bond," he said.

"I hope that if anything, the word gets out there and the families
don't have to go through what my wife and I had to go through," he
added, saying he believes his son could have beaten his drug habits
if the fentanyl hadn't killed him.

Joseph Krecker graduated from Maine South High School in Park Ridge
two days before his body was discovered June 6 in 2400 block of North
Monitor Avenue on the Northwest Side, about a half block from where
Crump had sold him the drugs, prosecutors said. Packets of
fentanyl-laced heroin were found with his body, investigators said.

Roti, the police commander, said Thursday that problems with
fentanyl-laced heroin have decreased. "We have not seen the rash of
overdoses we saw last summer," Roti said, noting police have targeted
several housing projects to curtail the drug's spread. "There was a
big spotlight put on this. It definitely is on the decline."

On Thursday, Cook County Criminal Court Judge Laura Sullivan set bail
on Crump's new drug charge at $250,000, but ordered him held until he
goes before the judge hearing the homicide charge Feb. 8 for a
hearing on violation of bail.

Demacopoulos, the prosecutor, asked that a hearing be held to
determine whether Crump's bail money came from legitimate sources.

Crump's lawyer, Andrew Vail, had no comment Thursday.

According to prosecutors, Crump has a lengthy prison record that
includes five felony convictions, three of which were drug related.
Crump was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 1995,
1999 and in 2004. In 1991, he was convicted of armed robbery and in
2000 he was convicted of aggravated battery.