Man accused of ‘ongoing drug trafficking’ in McHenry County, faces 30 years in prison

A 21-year-old man pleaded not guilty Monday to selling fentanyl in 2021, part of what authorities allege is an “ongoing drug trafficking” operation involving two other men, McHenry County court records show.

Lucious T. Hemphill, of the 1000 block of South 15th Street in Maywood, is charged with calculated criminal drug conspiracy, a Class X felony, according to the indictment filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to between six and 30 years in prison, according to the indictment.

Hemphill is charged along with Ryan James and Jacob Stealy, each of Crystal Lake, on the calculated conspiracy charge. He was also charged in December 2021 with possession with the intent to deliver 1 to 15 grams of fentanyl and possession of less than 15 grams of fentanyl.

James and Stealy also are charged with drug-induced homicide for allegedly selling a fatal dose of fentanyl to Colton Steiner, 27, of Crystal Lake. Steiner died from a fentanyl overdose on June 23, 2021.

On or about Dec. 3, 2021, members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Task Force interviewed James who said he had been “actively selling pressed fentanyl pills” and Hemphill is his “exclusive source for the pills,” Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Hudson wrote in a motion asking a judge to require the source of any bail funds be proven.

James also said he had been “purchasing about 100 fentanyl pills every one or two weeks,” Hudson said in the motion.

Officers then contacted Hemphill, set up a meeting and asked Hemphill to bring with him 100 fentanyl pills. He arrived at the pre-arranged location with 123 pills that field tested positive for “presumptive presence of fentanyl” and $902 in cash, according to the motion.

James also told officers that Stealy “would sometimes” drive him to meet with Hemphill. At other times, Stealy would drive to Hemphill himself to “pick up drugs from (Hemphill) on James’ behalf,” Hudson wrote in the motion.

Cellphone messages and cell tower data showed that the arrangements and meetings happened as they were explained, according to the motion.

McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt granted Hudson’s request, requiring the source of bail funds be proven to have come from legitimate sources and not from illegal activities.

Hemphill remained in the McHenry County jail as of Monday in lieu of a $250,000 bond on the criminal drug conspiracy case and another $75,000 bond for the fentanyl possession.

Hemphill is due back in court Feb. 28 and James on March 17. Stealy is due back in court Thursday on a motion to modify his bond to allow him to move.