A major, month-long undercover narcotics operation has ended with seven Uptown men facing serious charges. Two of the men have survived being shot in Uptown–with one of those surviving two separate shootings since 2015.
Two of the seven were on parole for felonies at the time of their arrests.
With relatively high bails set for each, the operation appears to be a legitimate effort on the part of police and prosecutors to drive gang and narcotics activity out of Uptown, a neighborhood that North Side gentrification skipped.
 |
| A massive rebuild of the Wilson CTA station and a surge of new apartment construction is at the center of Uptown’s latest push to rid itself of gangs and drugs. | CTA |
Some details about the cases have been hard to come by due to their undercover nature.A source said all of the men are accused of selling narcotics to undercover cops in early August. The seven were swept up in a coordinated arrest operation on August 29.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
 |
| Jermaine Crump (L); Keenan Crump; and Javon Jackson | Chicago Police Department |
• Jermaine Crump, 22, of the 900 block of West Windsor is charged with four counts of manufacture-delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing. He was on parole for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon at the time of his arrest. His parole was revoked and he returned to Stateville Correctional Center last Friday. His new parole date is June 25, 2019.
• Keenan Crump, 21, of the 800 block of West Sunnyside is charged with manufacture-delivery of less than 15 grams of cocaine. Bail is set at $150,000.
• 18-year-old Javon Jackson of the 1200 block of West Carmen is charged with three counts of manufacture delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing. Bail is set at $150,000.
 |
| From left: Nichols; Patterson; Ragland; and Watson. | Chicago Police Dept |
• 18-year-old Tyrese Nichols of the 4600 block of North Sheridan is charged with five counts of manufacture-delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing. He is free after posting 10% of his $150,000 bail.
• 27-year-old Michael Patterson of the 800 block of West Sunnyside is charged with six counts of delivery Schedule I or II narcotics near a school, park, or public housing. Bail is set at $250,000.
Update October 6, 2017: Patterson pleaded guilty to one count of manufacture-delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing yesterday. He received a sentence of two-years probation.
• 36-year-old Tyrese Ragland of the 800 block of West Sunnyside is charged with three counts of manufacture-delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing. He is free after posting 10% of his $250,000 bail.
• Tyrone Watson, 21, of the 4500 block of North Sheridan is charged with one count of manufacture-delivery of cocaine near a school, park, or public housing. Watson was on parole for aggravated battery of a police officer when he was arrested. He has also been returned to Stateville with a new parole date of March 1, 2019.
