Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Mar. 30 that Luke Napolitano, a suburban resident, was sentenced to prison for his involvement in the December 2022 drug-induced homicide of Joshua Burks, age 20, from Lake Barrington, Illinois.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about fentanyl-laced drugs and their impact on communities. Authorities say such cases demonstrate the risks posed by illegal drug distribution and underscore law enforcement’s commitment to addressing these issues.
A Lake County jury found Napolitano, age 23, guilty in April 2025. Judge D. Christopher Lombardo sentenced him to 12 years in prison for one count of drug-induced homicide. This sentence will be served consecutively with a separate ten-year sentence Napolitano received after being convicted of selling fentanyl to an undercover Illinois State Police officer.
“While this sentence in no way makes up for the loss felt by the family of Joshua Burks, it is my hope that it provides some healing and relief,” Raoul said. “Fentanyl-laced drugs have devastated Illinois families and communities, and I will continue to use my authority to hold individuals accountable for distributing fentanyl-laced drugs.”
Raoul said Napolitano sold Burks drugs laced with fentanyl that led to his death in December 2022. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigation found that Napolitano was also selling drugs in Cook and DuPage counties.
Raoul’s Statewide Grand Jury Bureau has statutory authority under Illinois law to prosecute multi-county cases involving drugs or related crimes. The bureau works with state and federal agencies on complex criminal activities involving organized groups.
The Illinois Attorney General advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants and seniors according to the official website. The office handled thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website and aimed to protect consumers while promoting safer communities as well as advocating for environmental causes and rights issues according to its official website. Its efforts extended across Illinois according to its official website, partnering with law enforcement agencies statewide to support crime victims and promote open government practices.
The office also offers services such as complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights matters according to its official website.
Assistant Attorneys General Steven Knight and Andrew Whitfield prosecuted the case through Raoul’s Statewide Grand Jury Bureau.
