Three Schaumburg Police Officers Charged For Drug Manufacturing And Sales

Terrance O'Brien, John Cichy and Matthew Hudak

Officers facing more than 70 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines, if convicted for multiple felony drug related charges including official misconduct, manufacturing and delivering cocaine.  

By H. Nelson Goodson

January 17, 2013

Village of Schaumburg,  Illinois - On Thursday,  three Village of Schaumburg Police Officers, Terrance O'Brien, 47, John Cichy, 30, and Matthew Hudak, 29, were charged with manufacturing and delivery up to 400 grams of cocaine;  armed violence;  criminal drug conspiracy;  official misconduct;  theft between $10K to $100K in school or place of worship and burglary.  Both Cichy and Hudak were charged with an additional felony for conspiracy to manufacture and delivery between 100 to 400 grams of cocaine. DuPage County Judge Elizabeth Sexton set a cash bail of $750,000 for each officer and they must remain in custody until any cash bail posted can be cleared from being drug money that the officers profited from their drug sales.

The officers were taken into custody on Wednesday by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after a two week sting. Several weeks ago, a federal warrant executed at a storage locker in Carol Stream rented by the officer's informant netted 275 grams of cocaine. The informant help the DEA to setup a sting by wearing a wire and then the three accused officers were caught on video surveillance and audio engaging in the drug operation. 

The three Schaumburg officers had executed legal search warrants in drug raids and then managed to steal some of the drugs including marijuana. The stolen drugs were then turned over to their informant to resale them on the street and the profit sales were then divided among the three officers. 

Federal authorities also charged Nicole Brehm, 44, with one felony count for drug conspiracy for allowing her Hoffman Estates home to be used as a  "stash house."

Both officer Hudak and O'Brien confessed to authorities. Hudak admitted to his actions that were caught on video surveillance, including audio and O'Brien told authorities that they all did it for "the thrill of it," according to DuPage County prosecutor Audriana Anderson.