Algonquin woman found not guilty of a June 2020 drug-induced homicide of a 48-year-old man

ALGONQUIN – McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally announced that Heather L. Vasil, 29, of the 1000 block of Oak Lane in Algonquin has pleaded guilty to “Delivery of a Controlled Substance,” a Class 2 felony.

Vasil appeared before McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Robert Wilbrandt on March 3, where she was found not guilty of drug-induced homicide, the original Class X felony she was charged with on June 4, 2020.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Prosecutors Ken Hudson and Brett Dunbar negotiated a plea deal with Vasil in which she pleaded guilty to an added Class 2 felony she was also charged with, in 2020, and would subsequently have to serve six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Additionally, Vasil will have to pay $2,815 in court fines and fees.

Kenneally explained that the case originally centered around the overdose death of 48-year-old James P. Robles of Algonquin.

Robles was discovered unresponsive on June 4, 2020, after ingesting illegal narcotics. An investigation by the Northcentral Narcotics Task Force revealed that Vasil had supplied Robles with the heroine that ultimately took his life.

Vasil has previously served time in prison after being found guilty of a Class 1 felony for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

A 2016 five-month investigation by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force culminated enough evidence to arrest Vasil, Paul S. Benzinger, 34, of Algonquin, and 31-year-old Zachary D. Armijo also of Algonquin, who was a roommate of the couple at the time.

During the arrest of the three individuals, officers had observed narcotics-related items in plain view, which allowed for a search warrant of the residence to be granted.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force (which includes members of the Lake in the Hills Police Department); members of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Crystal Lake and Algonquin Police Departments searched the residence and collected numerous heroin-related items of evidence which resulted in additional charges for the suspects.

Reports at the time indicated that a 2-year-old minor was removed from the residence and turned over to a family member. The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCSF) was notified about the incident.

That initial investigation yielded approximately 8.5 grams of heroin that was seized by detectives from Vasil and Benzinger during the five-month narcotics investigation.

After the 2016 search warrant, detectives recovered an additional 7.6 grams of heroin; 1.3 grams of cannabis; multiple items of drug paraphernalia throughout the residence and front yard; and $896.

All in all, detectives stated that the total street value of the heroin seized during the 2016 investigation was estimated at $3,220.