RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, On June 7, 2016, the Chicago Police Department was able to put a stop to a criminal enterprise in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Pastor David Marrero of New Life Covenant Church had informed the Chicago Police Department that congregants had complained to him about narcotic sales, prostitution, including of seemingly underage children, and human trafficking that had been occurring at the La Roquita restaurant; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Organized Crime's Vice and Asset Forfeiture Division took this information and, along with the Narcotics Division, created a plan to visit La Roquita to confirm the allegations in Pastor Marrero's complaint; and
WHEREAS, The plan was successful and, over the course of a three-day period, Chicago Police Officers were able to confirm that illegal acts of prostitution and narcotics sales had indeed been taking place at the restaurant, with full knowledge and consent of the managing employees, as well as confirming that none of the women that had been soliciting prostitution had been underage; and
WHEREAS, The Police Officers were able to arrest and charge a drug dealer with four counts of manufacturing and delivery of narcotics within 1000 feet of two separate places of worship, as well as citing two females for conducting illicit activities within the restaurant, and, with help from City attorneys and the Asset Forfeiture's Drug and Gang House Officers, the owner of La Roquita restaurant was cited for the various illegal activities and numerous code violations; and
WHEREAS, All operating licenses within the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois held by La Roquita and its owner have since been revoked; and
WHEREAS, The officers that took part in this operation were Commander Kenneth Angarone (Star #20), Lieutenant Karen Konow (Star #209), Sgt. Tammie Pena (Star #2086), Sgt. William Riesche (Star #2194), Sgt. Nelson Perez (Star #910), Officer Humberto Gutierrez (Star #9690), Officer Armando Ugarte (Star #15050), Officer Angel Amador (Star #19941), Officer Javier Saez (Star #11869), Officer John Bartuch (Star #18458), Officer Chris Stenzel (Star #15101), Officer Edward Langle (Star #14418), Officer David Lewis (Star #18965), Officer Sean Newton (Star #16383), Officer Christine Connor (Star #14314), Sgt. Brian Blackmon (Star #1237), Officer Steve Lugo (Star #10975), Officer Michael Iglesia (Star #19945), and Officer Jaime Ortiz (Star #18550); and
WHEREAS, These members of the Police Department have worked tirelessly to respond to citizen complaints and keep the 31st Ward, and the entire city of Chicago, safe and free from illicit activity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this fourteenth day of September, 2016, do hereby commend, for their professionalism, dedication and exceptional cooperative efforts on behalf of the citizenry of Chicago, all of the police personnel who were instrumental in suppressing this criminal activity; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to each of the aforementioned members of the Chicago Police Department, and placed on permanent record in their personnel files, as a token of our appreciation and esteem.
