Heidi Keller and Adrian Ortiz Police photo
They certainly defy the stereotypes.
A grammar school librarian and a college lecturer are charged with running a marijuana growing operation out of a house on the East Side.
Heidi Keller, 47, and Adrian Ortiz, 45, were arrested at their Bridgeport condo on Friday after Cook County Sheriff's police raided the couple's "investment" property at 10003 South Exchange.
Investigators say they found marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $234,000 in the basement - see sheriff's department photo below).
There were eight irrigation tables tables with 186 plants and sophisticated lighting and water pump systems were set to timers, according to a sheriff's department press release.
Keller told investigators she is a librarian at Haines Elementary school at 247 West 23rd Street and the school's website confirms that. Ortiz said he is a lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago and is listed on the UIC website as working in the "Tutorium in Intensive English" department.
Police in Elgin also raided an alleged grow house last Friday. The occupant was also raising fighting dogs. Police had to shoot and kill six put bulls during the raid. Click here for that story.
For a story on a mobile meth lab whose operators were allegedly selling drugs to truckers in the Chicago area, click here.
Comments
I am very disappointed. And guess what. She's my libraian. I was wondering why she was gone on Monday since I had wanted to borrow a book. I mean she was a good teacher, she never got mad though. Which makes everything more creepy since it was very suspicious when she always seemed to be so happy all the time.
and she's still getting paid by CPS because her lawyer keeps appealing the case...
yeah i'm in 8th grade now, she was my librarian. this is embarrassing to me and my whole school to know we basically harbored a fugitive. that's whack how she would do that. i mean she already has a good paying job so why sell contraband?
I knew them 10 yrs. ago and they were great intellects and fun to talk to. I know that what they did would only be for personal use. I hope another family is not ruined for a plant that is by far less harmful than alcohol and tobacco combined.
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