Robin Hoods Of The Underground Drug World

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Cops say former Chicago Police Sergeant Eddie C. Hicks disgraced the uniform when he led crews in numerous illegal drug stings over the course of almost a decade.

Former Sergeant Eddie Hicks of the Chicago Police Department proudly served his city for 30 years before retiring in 2000. But much to the dismay of his fellow officers and the city he served, almost 10 years of his service have been marred by allegations of racketeering and drug conspiracy.

Federal investigators say his scheme worked like this: Hicks and the other members of his four- or five-man crew would pretend to be DEA agents and seek out locations where drug dealers were known to gather. Once there, they would perform raids, confiscating drugs, cash and other valuables under false pretenses.

According to the indictment, Hicks and his crew would identify themselves to their targets as "DEA Task Force Officers" and often provided warrants with falsified judge's signatures.  Once they had the confiscated items in their possession, cops say they pocketed the cash and would then sell all the rest to an area drug peddler, who was later arrested.  That dealer became a cooperating witness against the officers, working with law enforcement to bring down the crime ring, law enforcement sources say.

Chicago's Finest Set Poor Example

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Eddie C. Hicks served with the Chicago Police Department for 30 years before retiring in 2000.

Cops say Hicks' crew consisted of up to four then-current and former officers with the Chicago Police Department, as well as at least two other citizens.

Hicks' second in command, Larry Hargrove, was a former Chicago police sergeant as well. He served on the force for over 30 years and retired in 1999.  According to cops, most of the raids took place while Hargrove was off duty, but at least one may have occurred while he was on the clock.

Matthew Moran, one of the two 'regular' citizens involved with the scheme, typically participated in the stings in varying capacities. Ironically, he held a position as an investigator for the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation throughout the time of his involvement.

Lawrence Knitter, a former police mechanic who was in on the scheme, would often swap license plates on the unmarked Chicago Police Department vehicles the crew used in the raids.  According to the 21-page indictment, Knitter took action in order to squelch the possibility of being identified by attentive targets.

While the racket went on for the better part of a decade, a drug dealer's girlfriend got the best of them. She called 911 and reported the harassment from Hicks' crew, and local police arrived on the scene to investigate.  Cops say it was at that time that Hicks presented his Chicago Police badge, and he and his crew were allowed to go without further questioning.  The suspicious nature of that night's events led to an official FBI investigation, and ultimately, their unraveling.

Over the course of their decade-long operation, cops say Hicks and his crew illegally collected anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million in drug money.

Crew Goes Down, Hicks Goes MIA

Brought down in operation "Good Buddy", Hicks and his co-conspirators were either convicted, entered into a plea agreement or pleaded guilty to numerous charges of racketeering, extortion and the violation of numerous federal drug laws.

Simply put, these were not good men.  They abused the power of their positions to not only hoodwink their intended targets, the drug dealers, but their coworkers and the citizens they swore to protect, as well.

After the FBI put an end to the scheme, charges were brought against all participants after their arrests in early 2001.  Knitter and Moran entered into plea agreements and managed to avoid jail time, in exchange for their cooperation.  Another subject, Albert Fontana, was a one-time participant in Hicks' scheme and pled guilty to lesser charges than Hargrove and Hicks were facing.

Hargrove's first trial resulted in a hung jury but was later convicted in June of 2005.  He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Hicks was indicted in November of 2001 and his trial date was set for June 9, 2003, but he never showed up for court.  Since that time, he has successfully managed to evade the clutches of justice, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Now the FBI needs your help in finding this corrupt cop and putting him behind the same bars he once put the illicit, immoral and felonious citizens of his city behind on a regular basis.