Arteaga drug trial begins in La Salle County

The trial’s underway for a Spring Valley man who owned a western boot shop raided by police.

Alejandro Arteaga faces three counts of dealing cocaine out of the store across the street from the Peru Municipal Building.  Several police officers raided the shop in May of 2010.

Arrested and already convicted as co-defendants in the drug ring were Daniel Thorndyke of Earlville and Gabriel Arteaga of Mendota.  They’ve agreed to testify against Alejandro Arteaga.

He’ll be sentenced next week in Bureau County for drugs after he was arrested while out on bond in the current case he’s on trial for in Ottawa.