Shorewood man accused of selling cocaine to informant in Crystal Lake parking lot

A man accused of selling almost 29 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant last year in a Crystal Lake parking lot was released from jail Monday pretrial.

Andre Alonso, 34, of the 100 block of Meadow Drive in Shorewood, is charged with possession and the manufacturing and delivery of 15 to 100 grams of cocaine, Class X felony, according to prosecutors and the McHenry County jail log.

On Monday, Alonso made his first court appearance, during which Assistant State’s Attorney Julio Cantre argued for Alonso’s pretrial detention.

Cantre argued that Alonso, who authorities said has past convictions for selling marijuana and aggravated battery, is violent and a danger to the community as well as the confidential informant. Also, if allowed to be released and put on home confinement, he still could sell cocaine from his home, Cantre said.

Last year, an informant called a McHenry County Sheriff’s detective and said they could set up an undercover drug buy with a person called “Beaver.” “Beaver,” later identified as Alonso, “sold large quantities of cocaine,” Cantre said the informant told the detective.

The prosecutor said police gave the informant $1,200 to buy cocaine from Alonso. At 1:25 p.m. Sept. 20, police surveilled the arranged meetup in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Crystal Lake, and the informant allegedly bought 28.9 grams of cocaine from Alonso, Cantre said.

However, Alonso’s attorney, George Kililis, said the informant got into Alonso’s vehicle and police “never actually saw the transaction itself.”

The defense attorney also said Alonso is not a danger to the community or the informant. In the almost five months since the alleged drug deal, Alonso has been free, was likely under surveillance and did not commit any drug deals or violence toward anyone, Kililis said.

Kililis also said Alonso has young children, is a business owner and is the “breadwinner” for his family. The defense attorney argued that Alonso could be released with an ankle monitor and curfew.

The judge granted Alonso’s release with those conditions, and also that he submit to pretrial supervision, not consume drugs or alcohol, submit to random screens for such substances and turn over any firearms.

Conviction on a Class X felony carries a sentencing range up to 30 years in prison. Alonso is due back in court March 11.