18 charged after 2-year Aurora investigation

The Aurora Police Department announced Thursday that 18 people have been charged with gun- and drug-related felonies after a nearly two-year investigation called Operation Kilo Kai.

Seventeen people were indicted through the Kane County state's attorney's office, and one person was indicted through the DeKalb County state's attorney's office, according to a news release.

The investigation began in fall 2019 after police received information about illegal firearms purchasing and narcotics dealing by the Latin Kings gang, police said. Throughout the two-year investigation, police recovered many illegal firearms and drugs in Aurora, Elgin, Montgomery and DeKalb.

With assistance from the FBI and the Elgin and DeKalb police departments, Aurora police arrested 13 suspects Wednesday:

• Jose E. Mondragon, 24, of the 900 block of Fourth Avenue in Aurora, on three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Ivan Mondragon, 20, of the 900 block of Fourth Avenue in Aurora, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Alejandro Aguilar, 26, of the 900 block of Fourth Avenue in Auora, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Ignacio Lopez, 24, of the 100 block of North Trask Street in Aurora, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Alonso Sanchez, 23, of the 100 block of Saugatuck Road in Montgomery, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Fernando Castellanos, 24, of the 1800 block of Arlene Drive in Aurora, on one count of possession of a firearm by a gang member, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.

• Fernando Marin-Tello, 35, of the 1700 block of Indian Avenue in urora, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Ross Ortega, 46, of the 500 block of Binder Avenue in Aurora, on two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Miguel Cervantes, 26, of the 300 block of West New York Street in Aurora, on one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of aggravated unlawful use of weapon, one count of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.

• Gregorio Valenzuela, 26, of the 700 block of East Benton Avenue in Aurora, on one count of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of unlawful sale of a firearm, and one count of unlawful sale of a firearm.

• Ismael Meraz, 43, of the 300 block of South Smith Street in Aurora, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Francisco Lechuga, 28, of the 300 block of Hamilton Avenue in Elgin, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• Jorge Barrios, 25, of the 1000 block of North 15th Street in DeKalb, on one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Police said suspects were already in custody on unrelated charges:

• Adrian Betsinger, 24, who is in jail in Kane County, was charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

• David Ponce, 22, currently in state prison, was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Three suspects who were indicted in Kane County are still at large, and investigators are asking for the public's help in locating them. All three are accused of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance:

• Diego Casas, 23, of the 400 block of South Avenue in Aurora.

• Salvador Hernandez, 29, of the 500 block of East Galena Boulevard in Aurora.

• Jose Ramirez, 32, of the 600 block of Jefferson Street in Aurora.