HEROIN USERS GET VISIT FROM POLICE

Authorities said the federal arrests of a 12 heroin dealers in
Porter, Lake and Cook counties two months ago has produced a list of
several dozen users who keep the drug trade thriving.

The users didn't get charged, but drug enforcement officials have
visited their homes to deliver a face-to-face message to give up
their habits or face criminal charges.

"They got notified: If they were dealing with these people, they were
not far from joining them in jail," said Don Rospond, leader of the
Northern Indiana Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
"Their options are few. They're either going to end up on the street,
in jail or dead."

Rospond's comments came Monday as the first of the alleged heroin
dealers pleaded guilty in Hammond federal court.

Jacqueline Hernandez, 19, of Sauk Village, Ill., pleaded guilty to
one count of conspiracy to distribute between 1 and 3 kilograms of
heroin. A second heroin-possession charge will be dropped in exchange
for her plea, her court agreement stated.

Federal and local authorities said they busted up a distribution
network that was buying heroin in the Chicago suburbs and
distributing it throughout Porter County.

Initially 12 people were arrested. The cooperation of some of the 12
defendants in custody produced indictments against five more people
and a list of between 40 and 50 names of users who were buying the
drug, authorities said.

Fifteen of the 17 people arrested have been charged, with one in
custody in Cook County and the remaining suspect still at large.

The sting did not target the users, but officers visited their homes
for what Rospond called "knock and talk" visits with a message to get
straight because they might face criminal charges next time.

The vast majority of the users are relatively young, typically
between 18 and 25. Rospond and Porter County Sheriff David Lain said
many of the users still lived with parents, who also received the
message from law enforcement.

Lain said he has no illusion that most heroin addicts would get
straight after just a single visit from police, especially when
there's not enough evidence to bring charges. But it's worth a shot.

"We've got to do something," Lain said. "We know that success on that
kind of tack is not going to be too high. But if you don't at least
try, that's wrong."