Mom had 6-year-old hold coke

By Brian Stanley
Staff Writer

JOLIET — Police say they arrested two women using a six-year-old boy to deliver narcotics during an undercover buy Wednesday.

The arrests were the culmination of a six-month investigation by the Joliet Police Department's Narcotics Unit.

Officers made an undercover buy at a parking lot in the 700 block of West Jefferson Street.

Police say the boy brought a 12.5 ounce bag of cocaine to undercover officers during the buy. He was accompanied by a friend of his mother.

"The aspect of this that's quite troubling is how they used a six-year-old boy to facilitate these deals," said Joliet Police Chief Fred Hayes.

Officers seized approximately $35,000 worth of cocaine and one pound of cannabis with an estimated value of $1,500 during the arrest.

Maria Cardenas-Barragan, 26, of 116 Mississippi Ave. and the boy's mother, Rosa Martinez, 40, of 320 Pine Ave.
, were arrested and charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, use of a minor to deliver a controlled substance and endangering the life and health of a child.

Martinez was also charged with an additional count of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance and manufacture or delivery of cannabis stemming from the investigation, according to the Will County State's Attorney's office.

Following the arrests in the parking lot, officers executed a search warrant at Martinez's residence and recovered another 65 grams of cocaine and 454 grams of cannabis.

Hayes called the investigation "extremely well-conducted" and added, "the State's Attorney's Office was a big assist to our officers throughout the investigation."

The boy has been placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services.


- Reporter Brian Stanley can be reached at (815) 729-6079 or bstanley@scn1.com

07/28/06