After the head of a major cocaine distribution operation was shot in Chicago last fall, the mother of his children allegedly stepped in to fill the void, delivering cocaine and running the operation as he directed it while recovering at home.
Joel Andrade, 34, and Maria Brenda Mora-Hernandez, 32, are accused of leading a cocaine distribution network that operated across Chicagoland between October 2025 and January 2026, according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed this week in U.S. District Court. The couple faces charges alongside seven others in a sweeping investigation that was built on wiretaps, undercover purchases, and covert surveillance operations.
Court records allege that Andrade, known by the nickname “Wedo,” served as the central figure in the trafficking ring, while Mora-Hernandez stepped up her role after multiple gunmen shot Andrade as he sat in a vehicle in the 2400 block of West 21st Place on October 8…