An elementary school librarian and a UIC lecturer were charged after a raid Friday night uncovered an elaborate marijuana growing operation with an estimated street value of $234,000 in home on Chicago’s South Side.
Heidi Keller, 47, and Adrian Ortiz, 45, are accused of running a drug operation based in Chicago’s South Deering neighborhood. Keller and Ortiz were arrested at the Bridgeport home where they live.
Cook County sheriff’s police officers spent three months investigating the couple, who purchased a home at 10003 S. Exchange Ave. in October. They said it was an investment property, but police found no evidence it was being used for anything other than a marijuana-growing operation.
When officers entered the front door to the single-family home, they were greeted by the smell of marijuana. In the basement, they found eight irrigation tables with 186 marijuana plants, the sheriff’s office said.
A lighting system with high-wattage lamps were set to a timer, ensuring each of the plants was exposed to a sufficient amount of lighting. High-flowing water pumps were also set up to irrigate the plants.
Keller told investigators she is a librarian at Haines Elementary, 247 W. 23rd Place in Chicago. Ortiz identified himself as a lecturer in English at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the sheriff’s office said.
Bail for Keller was set at $20,000 Monday and bail for Ortiz was set at $30,000.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services