5 charged in Cook County racketeering investigation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Cook County prosecutors have charged five people in a racketeering investigation. They say it targeted members of an organized crime outfit involved in drug trafficking, home invasions and kidnapping.

The case is the second racketeering investigation the State's Attorney's office has brought under a new state statute passed in 2012. Among those charged are two convicted burglars with reputed mob ties and an employee of Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios.

"It is a perfect example of the type of case we were looking to handle under this new law," said Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

It was called Operation Crew Cut. An according to Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, the ten-month long racketeering investigation specifically targeted members of an organized crime street crew, which engaged in what prosecutors said was an ongoing pattern of criminal activity including home invasions, robberies, kidnapping and insurance fraud.

"The PK street crew regular pattern of crime included home invasions, armed robberies, residential burglaries, insurance fraud and prostitution among other offenses," Alvarez said.

In all, five people have been charged with what is known as Super Class X felonies. They are 54-year-old Robert Panozzo, 55-year-old Paul Koroluk and 33-year-old Maher Abuhabsah. Panozzo's son, 22-year-old Robert Panozzo Jr, and Koroluk's wife, 53-year-old Maria Koroluk, an employee in Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios's office, are also charged. According to prosecutors, the group is known as the "K-Crew". They worked with several street gangs to sell narcotics and in the past have been known to steal narcotics from drug dealers.

"It was a setup," defense attorney Joe Lopez said. "There is no question about that. The FBI had the house wired up. They had all kinds of electronic surveillance, everything was videotaped."

A task force composed of Chicago Police, the Cook County Sheriff's office and the FBI raided the defendants' homes on Thursday. They say large quantities of drugs and weapons were recovered during the raids.

Of the five, all were denied bond except for Maria Koroluk. Regarding her employment at the assessor's office, a spokesperson for Joe Berrios confirmed she is the director of technical review there, but said they were not aware of the arrest.