Street Gang Member Found with Guns, Cocaine, Cash, Weed: Police

JOLIET, IL — A known gang member was arrested Thursday after police did a search of his home and found several weapons and drugs.

Roman Medel III, 26, of the 600 block of Jerome, was in a house in the 1400 block of Pioneer Court in Crest Hill, when police conducted a search warrant on the house, police said.

“We ended up coming up with cannabis, cocaine, two semi-automatic handguns of different calibers, two revolvers of different calibers. We also recovered U.S. currency,” Joliet Police Chief Ed Gregory said.

Mendel, who was in the residence at the time with other people, was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a firearm by a street gang member and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had two outstanding Will County warrants. One was for a weapon offense and the other was for aggravated discharge of a firearm, Gregory said.

Mendel’s arrest was the result of an undercover operation, according to Gregory.

photo via the Will County Sheriff's Office