Sitting just a few miles southwest of Chicago, suburban Orland Park was recently the site of a trio of drug arrests on some of the most serious charges a person can face in Illinois. According to a news report, three out-of-state men were arrested there and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell/deliver – Class X felonies.
As many of our readers know, a Class X felony is the most serious felony Illinois has, apart from a first-degree murder charge. Even a first-time offender convicted of a Class X felony faces a mandatory minimum of six years in prison, with a possible maximum of 30 years behind bars.
The three Arizona men arrested in Orland Park are accused of being in possession of 2,302 grams of heroin, 142 grams of what a news report described as “suspected narcotic pills,” an unspecified amount of crystal methamphetamine and several handguns.
In addition to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, Class X felonies include the following:
- Armed robbery
- Aggravated arson
- Aggravated battery of a child
- Aggravated criminal sexual assault
- Predatory criminal sexual assault of a child over 17 years of age and victim under 13 years old
- Home invasion
- Aggravated kidnapping
- Aggravated battery with a firearm
- Aggravated vehicular hijacking
Certain aggravating factors can add up to 30 years to a Class X felony sentence, including criminal history, an offense against someone 60 years of age or older, an offense against someone with a disability, if the defendant caused or threatened serious harm, or if the defendant was motivated by the other person’s race, color, religion, gender, national origin or sexual orientation.
Those accused of Class X felonies can exercise their right to remain silent and speak instead to a Chicago criminal defense attorney experienced in the protection of rights and freedom in negotiations and at trial.
