16-YEAR-OLD TO BE TRIED AS ADULT ON COCAINE, MARIJUANA CHARGES

A 16-year-old McHenry County youth facing drug charges recently found out
he would be prosecuted as an adult. On Thursday, he was indicted by a grand
jury on a Class X felony charge carrying a minimum prison term of 9 years
and maximum of 40 years.

Richardo Marquez, of 2077 Stonelake Drive in Woodstock, was charged with
intent to deliver and possession counts involving 7 ounces of cocaine and a
pound of marijuana prosecutors say was found Dec. 3 in the apartment shared
by Marquez, his father, Manuel, and older brother, Manuel Jr.

The cocaine charge is a Class X felony, while the marijuana charge is a
Class 3 felony.

The arrests were made as the result of a North Central Narcotics Task Force
undercover operation that netted more than a dozen people.

Manuel Marquez and Manuel Marquez Jr. were previously indicted on the same
charges, said Phillip A. Prossnitz, chief of the McHenry County State's
Attorney's gangs and drugs division.

Drug agents who searched the Marquezes' apartment found the marijuana
hidden in a couch and $20,000 worth of cocaine in a storage locker just
outside the patio door, Prossnitz said.

According to prosecutors, Richardo Marquez took responsibility, saying
"It's mine" after the drugs were found.

"Initially, we thought he was trying to fall on the sword for family
members," Prossnitz said.

However, at juvenile proceedings to transfer Richardo Marquez to adult
court, an accused drug deal broker said Marquez was regularly involved in
selling cocaine.

"I believe these three defendants should be tried jointly, as it was a
cooperative operation," Prossnitz said.

Richardo Marquez will be transferred from juvenile detention on Wednesday,
when he is expected to be arraigned.