May 26--As a pungent odor wafted throughout a McHenry County courtroom from stacks of boxes containing more than 70 pounds of marijuana, jurors were told that a California trucking company owner knew full well what he was transporting when he drove cross country in 2012.
"He took the risk, he gambled and he lost," Assistant State's Attorney Randi Freese said in closing statements Wednesday morning in the trial of Michael Karavastev. "We are here to hold him accountable."
Later, after deliberating for about three hours, the jurors found Karavastev, 42, guilty of cannabis trafficking, unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis and unlawful possession of cannabis.
Prosecutors said Karavastev, of Sunnyvale, Calif., knowingly transported 33,000 grams -- about 72 pounds -- of cannabis valuing more than $600,000 from Reno, Nev., to McHenry County in 2012.
On Dec. 3, 2012 Karavastev was driving a white 2011 Mercedes Sprinter van when police stopped him near Illinois Highway 31 and U.S. Highway 14 in Crystal Lake. A McHenry County K-9 deputy detected the narcotics, according to authorities.
Prosecutors said the drugs were in the cardboard boxes stored in a crate that also had an odor diffusing device inside.
Karavastev, who had the assistance of a Bulgarian translator during his trial, owns a trucking company in California.
Prosecutors said a man in Reno hired Karavastev and paid him $8,000, double what he normally would charge, to make the delivery.
Freese said Karavastev must have been trusted by the supplier in Reno and described the two men as "major drug dealers" running "a sophisticated business."
She acknowledged the strong odor of cannabis inside the courtroom and told jurors if they could smell it now, four years later, Karavastev must have smelled it in the van. And if he smelled it or saw it and was "a normal, innocent person" he would have called police.
"He knew what was in there, he knew what he was doing," she said.
Instead he tried hiding it by placing an odor diffusing device inside the crate, creating a cover story, placing an empty crate inside the van to block the drug-filled crate and carrying a fake and incomplete bill of lading, she said.
During the trial detectives testified that they were tipped off by an informant that Karavastev was making the delivery. They also said that during a police interview Karavastev admitted to knowing he was transporting drugs and said it was his third time doing so.
Prosecutors said charges have also been brought against the supplier in Reno but could not comment further.
Defense attorney Stephen Richards insisted his client did not know what was in the van and that charges against him were the result of a mistake, a language barrier and dishonest, "bad police work." Prosecutors said in court that Karavastev understands English.
Richards said there is no video or audio of Karavastev's interview with police nor is there a written statement of any kind pointing to any sort of a confession. Karavastev was told he was transporting machinery, he added.
He accused police of leaving out "inconvenient information" from the police reports and said Karavastev's arrest was a "set up" prompted by the informant.
"Informants are necessary but it's a dangerous business," Richards said. "They lie and do anything to get out of their own problems."
After the verdict was read, Assistant State's Attorney Mary Ann Scholl told the judge that Karavastev is now a flight risk and asked he be immediately remanded.
Before bailiffs put on the handcuffs on, Karavastev turned to hug his wife.
He faces a minimum of 12 years in prison when sentenced July 14.
His attorney said he would appeal.
Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.
