Early Morning Raid In Astor Park

    An early morning action undertaken by nearly three dozen law enforcement officers has resulted in multiple charges being filed against occupants of a suspected drug house in Astor Park. The pre-dawn raid, held on Thursday, May 16, saw Lake County Sheriff's Office SWAT team members serve a search warrant at 21745 Virginia Drive, after an extended investigation that included sheriff's office reconnaissance and tips that contributed to the belief that illegal activity was being undertaken at the home.
   During Thursday’s action, four people were taken into custody without incident, and three were charged, including Ike Walters, 56, for possession of fentanyl, Richard Shiver, 61, for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, and April McCubbin, 20, for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
   The action was taken during the sheriff's office's current 'Operation Restore Astor' which is looking to reduce the amount of crime in River Country, though representatives of the sheriff's office said the investigation that led up to Thursday's event was months in the making, and served as a showcase of newly developed on-scene practices designed to maximize officer safety in potentially volatile situations.
   The team formed near Astor Park just before 5 a.m. on Thursday, with two SWAT trucks and a host of sheriff's office vehicles forming a caravan to the site following a briefing on the operation's details. Arriving just after 5:30 a.m., team members deployed around the home and announced their presence with flash bangs and a loud announcement informing any occupants of the home and an RV on the property about the search warrant and ordering them from the home, a newer practice rather than forcibly entering the home at the onset of such searches. Once the drowsy suspects exited the home, they were ordered to walk behind the SWAT trucks to be taken into custody behind the SWAT trucks.
   Officials on the scene described newer practices designed to increase efficiency and safety at such potentially combustible events, all designed to keep officers, and suspects, safer. Once the structure was cleared, investigators entered the home to search any illegal items.