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Elmwood Park man held for heroin possession
Brian Salkeld, 26, of Elmwood Park
Updated: July 8, 2012 8:10AM
An Elmwood Park man, whose relatives died in suspected drug overdoses in the last six months, was arrested for possession of heroin.
Brian Thomas Salkeld, 26, of the 2400 block of North 73rd Court, Elmwood Park, was stopped on the 1000 block of North Austin Boulevard in Oak Park at 3:51 p.m. May 24, for allegedly having no front license plate.
After Salkeld reportedly consented to a search of the vehicle, a K-9 dog alerted to the presence of drugs in the car. Police said they recovered a 4-inch straw containing a white powder residue from under the passenger seat.
A further search found that Salkeld allegedly had a baggie of seven foil packets containing powder that field-tested positive for heroin.
A passenger, Antonietta Mele, 24, of the first block of Rolling Hills, Barrington, was allegedly in possession of another baggie that contained 11 packets of heroin. The drugs and packaging weighed 11.2 grams total. Both were charged with possession of drugs.
Three Salkelds have been found dead in their home in the past six months.
On Jan. 20 police were called to 2451 N. 73rd Court in Elmwood Park after a relative found Robert Salkeld, 52, and his son Branden Salkeld, 19, unresponsive.
In February, a 19-year-old male was found dead in the residence. No details have been released on that death.
During the Jan. 20 investigation, Elmwood Park Police Chief Frank Fagiano said officers discovered what appeared to be an illegal substance in the home.
He would not disclose the kind of illegal substance they found, but said it was sent to the state’s lab for testing.
“Due to the sensitivity of situation, two people died, we are not revealing what we found,” Fagiano said.
An autopsy was unable to determine the cause of death for the two men. However, last month the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office released its toxicology report on Branden Salkeld. His official cause of death was ruled accidental related to taking the drug Methadone.
Methadone is an opiate, commonly used by drug treatment programs for withdrawal from heroin addiction.
Fagiano said the medical examiner’s office did not have any information yet about Robert Salkeld’s toxicology report.
When asked if there has been any problems at the residence, including drugs being used or sold there, Fagiano said “no.”
“Ever since the incident, we have not had drugs at that location,” he said. “It is definitely not a drug house.”
According to court records, Brian Salkeld was ticketed by Oak Park police on May 20 following a traffic accident. Salkeld was cited for allegedly failing to reduce speed and for operating the 2012 Cadillac he was driving without insurance.
Mele has been arrested at least twice in Cook County the past two years. In January 2010, she was charged with possession of a controlled substance. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years’ probation,
In November 2010, Mele was charged with battery, found guilty and sentenced to community service and one year of court supervision.
