SYCAMORE – One of the more than a dozen people arrested in a major drug sweep last month was arraigned Tuesday at the DeKalb County Courthouse, where he pleaded not guilty to charges that could lead to life in prison.

Jimmy Rabelo, 29, of the 400 block of Hillcrest Avenue in DeKalb, and 11 others were arrested Dec. 9 in what police said was a five-month investigation into the
DeKalb drug market.

Arrests were made at three locations, including the address listed in court documents as Rabelo's residence.

Rabelo is alleged to have sold cocaine to a confidential source on three occasions in 2010: Aug. 4, Sept. 14 and Dec. 2. He was charged with six counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance.

Those counts include charges of Class 1 felonies, Class 2 felonies and one count of a Class X felony.

Because Rabelo twice has been convicted of a Class X felony – once for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and later for armed robbery – he faces a mandatory sentence of natural life in prison if convicted on a third Class X felony.

During Tuesday's arraignment, Circuit Judge Robbin Stuckert explained to Rabelo that because of his prior criminal history, any conviction on a Class 2 felony, normally punishable by three to seven years in prison, would instead be sentenced based on Class X guidelines, a mandatory six years and up to 30 years in prison.

Before the arraignment, a bond reduction hearing was held in which Rabelo asked to have his bond reduced to $50,000. Stuckert denied the request, and Rabelo's bond remained $150,000. He would have to post $15,000 bail to be released.