Police find over 800 fentanyl pills, meth and other drugs after arresting wanted suspect in Vernon Hills

When police tracked down a wanted suspect at a home in Vernon Hills, they found over 800 fentanyl pills as well as a large amount of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office Special Investigation Group (SIG) conducted a controlled buy operation in February targeting 33-year-old Xavier J. Thomas of Chicago.

According to Lake County Assistant District Attorney Michael Theis, a buyer contacted Thomas twice to purchase 1.5 and 3.5 grams of crack cocaine.

Theis said the buyer met with Thomas on both occasions and the transactions were completed.

On August 28, an arrest warrant was issued for Thomas charging him with two counts of manufacture or delivery of 1-15 grams of cocaine (a Class 1 felony) and two counts of possession of a controlled substance (a Class 4 felony).

After the arrest warrant was issued, a vehicle believed to be driven by Thomas fled from Lake County Sheriff's officers late in the evening of August 28.

The officers knew that Thomas was wanted for a drug offense.

Vernon Hills police went to Thomas' girlfriend's home in Vernon Hills but did not find him there, Theis said.

Two days later, Thomas' vehicle was recognized by Flock Safety's automatic license plate reading system.

The officers went to Thomas' girlfriend's house again and the man showed up at her home a few minutes later.

Theis said Thomas got out of the gray 2020 Cadillac sedan with a black backpack in his hand and went into the house.

Officers set up a perimeter around the house. Thomas left the house and got into a Honda Pilot in the driveway, Theis said.

Officers surrounded Thomas and arrested him on the basis of an arrest warrant.

Theis said Thomas had a baggie containing 0.4 grams of cocaine and a second baggie containing 0.7 grams of heroin. He had $1,500 in cash and two cell phones.

One of the phones had a text message on the lock screen that read, “Yo, I need 100. I have cash,” Theis said.

Theis said officers found 86 grams of cocaine, 826 fentanyl tablets weighing 200.7 grams, 239 methamphetamine tablets weighing 140 grams, 5.1 grams of heroin, a scale and unused plastic bags in the backpack.

Theis said the Cadillac sedan was sniffed by a dog outside and the dog alerted the vehicle.

Officers found $20 cash and a bag containing two grams of orange pills that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Thomas told officers that all the drugs belonged to him but were intended for his personal use, Theis said.

In addition to the warrant charges, Thomas was charged with trafficking 100-400 grams of methamphetamine, manufacturing or delivering 100-400 grams of fentanyl, manufacturing or delivering 15-100 grams of cocaine, and manufacturing or delivering 1-15 grams of heroin.

Thomas was previously convicted of cocaine trafficking in a Lake County case in 2015 and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak granted a request by prosecutors to remand Thomas in custody pending trial.

Thomas, who remains held in the Lake County Jail, is scheduled to appear in court again on September 26 for a preliminary hearing.