Two brothers have been charged in connection with a shootout with DEA agents near a mall in suburban Joliet on Tuesday afternoon.
Adan Godinez, 31, of Morris, and Fernando Godinez, whose age was not immediately available, were both facing multiple gun and drug charges, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.
Adan was shot in the leg during the incident, and taken to Will County Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and discharge of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, prosecutors said.
Fernando was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to the criminal complaint, Adan arranged for the sale of two kilograms of cocaine to an undercover DEA agent in late august. Both brothers traveled to the Louis Joliet Mall, in the 3300 block of Mall Loop Drive, just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday to sell the cocaine to the agent, authorities said.
When they arrived, Adan got out of the car driven by Fernando and got into the undercover agent's car, officials said, allegedly providing the agent with four rectangular objects that later tested positive for cocaine.
The cocaine was valued at $70,000, DEA spokesperson Dennis Wichern said during a news conference Tuesday night.
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Law enforcement officers attempted to arrest both Adan and Fernando, and as they approached, Adan allegedly exited the vehicle, pulled out a firearm, and shot at the officers, the complaint reads.
Officers returned fire, and during the exchange, Adan was shot. A weapon was recovered from Adan, as well as from Fernando's waistband during his arrest, authorities said.
"It’s a scary situation," Wichern said Tuesday. "It’s just a reminder, guys and gals, how dangerous it is at times for law enforcement."
Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton said uniformed police officers were on the scene in support of the DEA agents, but no Joliet police fired their weapons, only DEA agents.
"The actions of these suspects put the lives of our citizens and our law enforcement in jeopardy," Benton said.
