Judge Busts Orland Park Police Pot Bust

A Cook County judge released three men nabbed in a purported drug raid and “reluctantly” set bail for two others. Orland Park police made a big announcement earlier Friday that they had executed a search warrant at a Crestwood home where they found a large quantity of cannabis, drug paraphernalia, and a little bit of Xanax. The five men appeared for a bond hearing before Cook County Judge John Mahoney on charges of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver.

Orland Park police said that a drug investigation led them to a Crestwood home in the 13400 block of West Circle Drive just before 6 a.m. Thursday. Officers searched the home where they said they recovered approximately four pounds of cannabis, $1,037 in U.S. currency, packaging materials, scales, and less than five grams of suspected Xanax. The quad-level house was occupied by the homeowner’s son and four roommates, all of whom are in their twenties.

The prosecutor said officers searched the room of Joseph Hatzel, 24, who rents a room at the address. Officers claim to have found five empty vacuum sealed bags, three glass pipes, two digital scales, $209 and a grinder. Hatzel allegedly had 1.7 grams of cannabis in his room, along with some Xanax. Cook County Judge John Mahoney “reluctantly” found a reasonable cause to detain Hatzel, who is facing charges of possession of cannabis with intent to deliver and possession of a controlled substance. Hatzel was released on a $10,000 I-bond. His next court date is Oct. 10.

A second man who was charged, Humza O. Ghrayyib, 20, was identified by an occupant at the home as the “main dealer.” Officers claim to have found several plastic bags of cannabis in the living room, amounting to approximately two pounds. The prosecutor told the judge that Ghrayyib had been kicked out of the house a month ago by the homeowner, but used the house to sell marijuana. Ghrayyib was not present during the raid. The judge, expressing his frustration, found no probable cause to detain Ghrayyib. He was released too much celebratory hooting in the holding cell off the courtroom. A deputy sheriff yelled at the celebrants to shut up.

Benjamin M Duncan, 19, another roomer at the home, was also released with no probable cause to detain. The prosecutor said officers found a safe containing a hitter box, cannabis cartridges and plastic bags in his room, but no cannabis.

Jalen S Simmons, 20, of Evergreen Park, was also released. He did not have his own room in the house, but had been sleeping on the couch. The prosecutor said Simmons was asleep at the time of the raid.

The son of the homeowner, Brendan Murphy, 20, was released on a $10,000 I-bound. Officers claim to have found approximately two pounds of cannabis in his room, along with various paraphernalia. The prosecutor said Murphy has a pending misdemeanor battery case. Murphy’s next court date is Oct. 11 in Bridgeview.

After the bond hearing, the homeowner, who did not want his name used said he was shaving on Thursday morning when Orland Park police officers set off three flash grenades.

“There was a big flash. I thought it was gunfire and screamed,” he said.

The flash grenades broke two windows in his home. One grenade was set off in his basement and caused a stain on his ceramic tile.

“I can’t get the stain off,” the homeowner said.

~ Patch editor Lorraine Swanson contributed to this report