Round Lake Heights man guilty of delivering cocaine in McHenry County

Martell L. Baker

A McHenry County judge on Friday found a Round Lake Heights man guilty of delivering and possessing less than 15 grams of cocaine.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge found Martell L. Baker, 38, not guilty of three other charges, including additional counts of delivering 1 to 15 grams of cocaine and possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia after a bench trial last month, according to court records.

A sentencing hearing was set for Jan. 6.

Delivery of cocaine is a Class 1 felony, which can carry sentences of four to 15 years in prison. Possession is a Class 4 felony, which can carry a sentence of one to three years in prison. Both also are probational.

Baker is eligible for extended sentencing on both charges because of a 2006 conviction in Lake County of delivering or manufacturing a controlled substance, according to the indictment.

Police stopped Baker and a Spring Grove woman, Symayah A. Cedzidlo, after they allegedly conducted a cocaine transaction, according to motions filed by prosecutors in July 2020. They had more than $700 in cash, cocaine, a scale and packaging materials on them at the time, according to the motions.

Cedzidlo, 22, was indicted on the same charges as Baker, according to court records.

She entered a blind plea – meaning the sentence was not agreed to ahead of time – in February to one count of delivering 1 to 15 grams of cocaine.

Coppedge, citing Cedzidlo’s lack of criminal history, sentenced her in March to three years of felony probation, according to the court order.

As part of the probation, she was required to complete 250 hours of public service, obtain a substance abuse evaluation and comply with all its recommendations, enroll in a GED course and take the exam, undergo six months of home confinement, and submit to drug testing, according to the order.

She also was sentenced to 180 days in jail, 150 of which she will not have to serve if she complies with the rest of the probation requirements, according to the order. She was given credit for the 15 days she’s already spent in jail.