Chicago-area man sentenced to 16 years in prison for dealing heroin

WHEATON, Ill. — A Chicago-area man was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in state prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, announced DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin.

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.

Rene Rojo, 40, of Cicero Illinois, was sentenced Oct. 11 by DuPage County Associate Judge Robert Miller to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for participating in drug-dealing activities in DuPage County and the greater Chicagoland area.

On Aug. 18, Rojo was found guilty of one count of criminal drug conspiracy, a felony, following a three-day bench trial. Beginning in July 2010, and continuing through June 2011, HSI and the DuPage County Sheriff's Office conducted an investigation into drug dealing in DuPage County and the Chicago area. Their investigation led to Rojo who was arrested June 18, 2013, and charged with arranging delivery of half a kilogram of heroin (1.1 pounds). Rojo has remained in custody since his arrest.

"The sad truth is that the heroin epidemic in our communities continues to claim dozens of lives every year, which is utterly unacceptable," said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin. "While we have made progress in ridding our streets from this poison, we must continue to be vigilant and proactive if we are to bring the number of heroin deaths down to the only acceptable number, which is zero. Today's sentence sends a message to these poison peddlers that they will be caught, they will be prosecuted and they will spend a significant amount of time behind bars. I would like to thank the DuPage County Sheriff's Office and the Office of Homeland Security for their outstanding efforts which allowed us to bring a strong prosecution against Mr. Rojo. I would also like to thank Assistant State's Attorneys Audrey Anderson and Jae Kwon for their work in putting Mr. Rojo behind bars where he most certainly belongs."

Rojo must serve at least 75 percent of his sentence before he’s eligible for parole.