Juvenile probation officer owned house used for crack business
BY FRANK MAIN Staff Reporter March 17, 2013 11:20PM
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Updated: April 19, 2013 6:07AM
A Cook County juvenile probation officer owned one of the Far South Side houses where federal authorities say gang enforcer Rashod Bethany ran a crack-cocaine business, records show.
The probation officer, Gregory Harris, owned the house at 12012 S. Emerald, property records show.
Authorities said an informant made numerous drug purchases at that address in 2006. The informant wore a hidden video and audio recorder during the buys, according to court records.
In an interview, Harris acknowledged he owned the house in 2006, but said he recently lost the property to foreclosure. He denied any knowledge that the house was being used to sell drugs.
In an affidavit, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agent Christopher Labno said the informant originally told authorities that Bethany operated a crack house at 12014 S. Emerald in 2006.
“But addresses are not accurately reflected on the structures in this area. For example, the above listed structure is labeled with gold-and-black stick-on numerals that appear to list the address at 12027 S. Emerald,” Labno wrote.
Later in his affidavit, Labno noted the correct address of the crack house was 12012 S. Emerald.
On Feb. 1, 2006, the informant was in the house to buy crack cocaine when a drug dealer admitted he was a driver in a murder in which Bethany also had a role, the affidavit said.
