Robert Spurlock, Cocaine Distribution, Illinois 2023

CHICAGO — A joint federal and local investigation in the far north suburbs of Chicago has resulted in federal cocaine charges against four individuals.

According to indictments unsealed this week in U.S. District Court in Chicago, ROBERT SPURLOCK, 36, of Beach Park, distributed cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number.

SPURLOCK was not the only one involved in the alleged cocaine trafficking. KURT NASH, JR., 34, of Milwaukee, Wisc., distributed cocaine on two occasions, while RAFAEL ALVAREZ-MURILLO, 27, of Waukegan, distributed methamphetamine and illegally possessed a handgun.

Additionally, JASON NAJERA-PRADO, 31, of Waukegan, illegally possessed two handguns. What’s more, SPURLOCK, ALVAREZ-MURILLO, and NAJERA-PRADO were previously convicted of felonies and were not lawfully allowed to possess firearms.

The four defendants were charged after a joint federal and local investigation in the far north suburbs of Chicago. SPURLOCK, NASH, and NAJERA-PRADO pleaded not guilty during arraignments Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. The arraignment for ALVAREZ-MURILLO will be scheduled at a later date.

The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn McCarthy and Alejandro Ortega represent the government in the federal cases. The public is reminded that indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt.

The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

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