The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force concluded a very successful year in 2016. The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force was created in mid-2015, and has been extremely active throughout Lake County since its inception.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force is responsible to combat, prevent, and interdict criminal gang activity in Lake County. The areas of enforcement include but are not limited to narcotics, human trafficking, gun trafficking, and money laundering, all of which are a means to further gang activity.

Education is also a significant responsibility of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Gang Task Force. Task force members deliver presentations to school students, teachers, parents, professionals, community leaders, and community groups to provide education on the warning signs and indicators of drug and/or gang activity.

During 2016, the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force arrested numerous gang members and seized a significant amount of drugs and guns, including:

37 firearms

9,314 grams of cannabis (street value - $186,200)

34 kilograms of powder cocaine (street value - $3,409,410)

70 grams of crack cocaine (street value - $7,050)

21 capsules of ecstasy (street value - $420)

1,458 grams of heroin (street value - $175,000)

546 illicit prescription pills (street value - $10,920)

Sheriff Mark Curran said, “The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force regularly identify and arrest violent gang members while taking drugs off the streets, in our efforts to keep Lake County safe. We also maintain a strong educational presence in our schools and communities to keep the public alert and informed of trends and warning signs.”

Undersheriff Ray Rose said, “History shows us time and time again gangs are the common denominator when it comes to problems within our communities. Gangs fuel drug problems, violence problems, human trafficking problems, prostitution problems, and so on. We will not tolerate these activities in Lake County and we will continue to aggressively investigate and arrest these criminals.”

The Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional task force, run by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, consisting of local, county and federal agencies. Current participants in the Gang Task Force come from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Grayslake Police Department, Lakemoor Police Department, Lake County Forest Preserve Police, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, Lake Villa Police Department, Mundelein Police Department, North Chicago Police Department, Park City Police Department, Wauconda Police Department, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI/ICE).

Anyone with information on gang and/or drug related activity is encouraged to call the Gang Task Force Tip-Line at: 847-377-4424 or Lake County CrimeStoppers at: 847-662-2222.