Undercover Sting Nets Crack Bust

received a tip that a man was selling crack cocaine in the Oak Lawn area.

Brandon Simmons, 26, of Alsip, was charged with possession and intent to deliver a controlled substance after he was nabbed selling a “forty” of crack cocaine to undercover cops on Dec. 7.

According to the report, detectives called Simmons on his cell phone and arranged to buy $40 worth of crack cocaine. Detectives to went to meet Simmons at a pre-arranged location at the Westfield Chicago Ridge Mall.

The detective making the buy told other cops that Simmons called to say he would arrive any minute in a white Ford Explorer. At 10 p.m., Simmons pulled into the lot and parked, the report said.

Police said the undercover cop approached the passenger side of the vehicle and passed $40 in bait money to Simmons in exchange for some rocks. The detective said that after the sale, Simmons told him to call him if he needed anything else.

After the handoff, police stopped the car in a traffic stop and both the driver and Simmons were arrested.

The driver said he had no knowledge that Simmons was selling drugs until he observed the handoff. Simmons told police that he sold small amounts of crack and admitted to selling some to the detective, police said.

The substance exchanged during the transaction tested positive for crack cocaine. Police found $228 in Simmons pants pocket, including the $40 in bait money.

The driver was issued traffic citations. Simmons was held for a bond hearing the next day in Bridgeview.