McHenry man accused of possessing MDMA, lookalike pills and ecstasy pleads guilty to meth charge

A McHenry man who was arrested last year near a Johnsburg liquor store and charged with various drug offenses has pleaded guilty to possessing less than 5 grams of methamphetamine.

Daniel T. Hawkins, 32, was sentenced to 3½ years in prison after his plea last week, according to a judgment order in McHenry County court.

In exchange for the guilty plea, additional counts against Hawkins were dismissed, including possession with intent to deliver about 3 grams of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) powder, possession with intent to deliver 28 lookalike pills and possession of less than 15 grams of ecstasy, according to the indictment. Hawkins is required to serve half of his prison term. He then will serve 12 months of mandatory supervised release, according to the judgment order. He will receive credit for 224 days in the county jail.

Hawkins was charged Dec. 12 along with two others whom with he lived, including Desiree Crowcroft, 29, who was charged with unlawful possession and possession with the intent to deliver 15 to 100 grams of cocaine and unlawful possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl, which are Class X felonies, as well as possession with the intent to deliver 500 to 2,000 grams of marijuana, possession of less than 15 grams of fentanyl and possession of a firearm and ammunition without a valid firearm owner’s identification card, according to the indictment.

Crowcroft and Kenneth Price Jr., 31, are charged with endangering the health or life of a child for allegedly allowing a child to be within reach of crack cocaine or fentanyl, according to the indictment.

Price also was charged with the multiple drug offenses as well as being an armed habitual criminal, unlawful use or possession of weapons or ammunition by a convicted felon, and resisting a police officer, according to the indictment.

The trio were arrested Dec. 12 after an ongoing investigation involving surveillance of them, vehicles, their McHenry home and a nearby liquor store in Johnsburg, authorities said. The liquor store was suspected to be the site of ongoing drug transactions, according to prosecutors’ motion filed in response to a defense motion to suppress evidence and quash the arrest.

Crowcroft and Price were arrested at the residence, and Hawkins was arrested near the liquor store, according to the state’s motion. When Hawkins entered the county jail, police allegedly found that he possessed 28 pharmaceutical tablets, according to the motion.

A search of a Camry parked at the home accessed only by Hawkins allegedly resulted in finding “a digital scale; approximately 3 grams of prepackaged pink powder, which field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of MDMA; four individually packaged baggies of a chunky crystalline substance, which field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of methamphetamine; and numerous money order receipts bearing the name Daniel Hawkins,” according to prosecutors’ motion.

For “several years” police had received “numerous tips” and performed “controlled purchases” with Price, according to the court document. Police were told that the three defendants lived at the home, and Hawkins and Price “were both actively engaged in the sale of crack cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy,” according to the state’s motion.

Authorities said police saw children looking out of the window of the home and it appeared there were no adults. Out of concern for their well-being, they entered the home. While in the home, “Crowcroft and Price entered ... and began to act very aggressively, moving around furtively, shouting and screaming, and not obeying commands,” according to the state’s motion.

“Officers attempted to explain what was occurring and advised that an application was being made for a search warrant, that they were free to go or remain in the living room,” according to the motion. “Price attempted to force his way through a detective and repeatedly pushed into her body with his elbows, arms and hands. Eventually, Price and Crowcroft, along with the children, departed the residence.”

The search of the home yielded “approximately 6 grams of suspected crack cocaine, which field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of cocaine and fentanyl; packaging materials; a digital scale with white residue, which field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of cocaine and fentanyl, all located in a brown bag on the TV stand in Crowcroft and Price’s bedroom; approximately 30 grams of suspected powder cocaine, which field-tested positive for the presumptive presence of cocaine and fentanyl, in the pocket of a jacket in Price’s closet; a loaded Sig Sauer P226, .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing several rounds of .40-caliber pistol ammunition in a light pink leather bag; several pre-packaged bags of suspected cannabis in a black backpack [and] THC cartridges, all located in the closet; several items of indicia for Crowcroft and Price throughout the northeast bedroom; and multiple half-pound packages of suspected cannabis in vacuum-sealed bags located in the basement,” according to the state’s motion.

Price, who is currently in custody at the county jail, is next due in court for a status hearing Friday and set for jury trial in October. Price also has unsatisfactory completion of sentences of probation and at least three previous stints in prison on his record, according to an order to detain him signed by Judge Mark Facchini.

Crowcroft is due in court for a status hearing and motion to suppress Aug. 29, records show.

Convictions on a Class X felony carry a prison term of up to 30 years.