Alleged Joliet drug traffickers arrested

A Joliet member of the Black Gangster Disciplines and several of his associates were arrested by federal authorities and charged with drug trafficking, officials said.

Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies investigated William Nobles, 51, Jaron Nabors, 38, Ericka Pruitte, 38, Gregory Warfield, 67, Caesar Estrada, 44, and Luis Contreras, 40, Tashaun M. McCarter, 40, David L. White, 53, and Kalvin Stewart, 51, for drug trafficking, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Each except McCarter and White were charged with federal drug conspiracy charges. McCarter and White face state drug offenses in Will County.

Nobles is allegedly affiliated with the Joliet faction of the Black Gangster Disciples gang and operates a drug trafficking organization in the Joliet area, federal officials said. Nabors allegedly conspired with Nobles to distribute drugs, while Pruitte served as a courier on behalf of Nabors.

Nobles, Nabors and Pruitte allegedly conspired to distribute narcotics. In one instance, law enforcement agents pulled over Pruitte’s car and discovered cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin inside the car, according to the release.

Law enforcement agents also carried out searches of residences in the 800 block of Vine Street in Joliet, the 1400 block of Exposition Avenue in Aurora and the 2100 block of Englewood Avenue in Lockport as part of the investigation.

They seized three firearms, 3 kilograms of cocaine, more than 60 grams of heroin, about $90,000 in illicit cash proceeds and several vehicles, federal officials said.

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, Joliet Police Department, Bolingbrook Police Department, Will County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies assisted in the investigation.