9 charged after FBI drug trafficking bust in city, suburbs; Chicago couple accused of being ringleaders

A Chicago couple is accused of being at the center of a cocaine trafficking ring that was the target of an FBI bust Thursday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said the FBI and Chicago Police Department conducted an investigation using covert surveillance, undercover purchases and wiretapping to identify and shut down the ring that prosecutor said was led by Chicago couple Joel Andrade, 34, and Maria Brenda Mora-Hernandez, 32..

FBI agents were seen executing warrants, making arrests and searching homes on Chicago's West Side, including in Little Village, stretching as far west as suburban Villa Park on Thursday morning.

Seven people were arrested during the Thursday drug busts and began appearing in court Friday, prosecutors said.

Andrade and Mora-Hernandez are accused of having at least 5 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to sell, as well as two semiautomatic handguns that they allegedly used in their drug trafficking operation. The seven other defendants are accused of distributing the cocaine in the last year in Chicago, Villa Park, Addison and Rosemont.

Andrade and Mora-Hernandez are charged with drug conspiracy, drug distribution and firearms offenses.

Richard Rubio, 33, of Chicago Ridge; Alexis Andrade, 30, of Chicago; Jeremy Rush, 34, of Downers Grove; Devonte Jones, 30, of Chicago; Jose Navarrete, 23, of Chicago; Jeremie Reyes-Gonzalez, 21, of Cicero; and Alexis Guttierez, 43, of Riverside are all charged with federal drug offenses.  Rubio and Alexis Andrade are also charged with possessing handguns as part of their drug trafficking operation.

Please note: The above video is from a previous report.