By Frank Abderholden
Chicago Sun-Times
A 44-year-old Waukegan man is facing criminal charges after police raided a fake drug rehabilitation house and arrested him for possessing crack cocaine, stealing from other residents and pawning their belongings.
Andrae L. Griffin, 44, was arrested as he was about to smoke crack in a Wednesday raid at the home in the 400 block of North Genesee Street, police said. They seized a gram of crack and arrested Griffin for unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Police said Griffin called himself the “president” of the rehab facility and used the position to take property belonging to other residents. He then pawned that property for cash, authorities said.
In another incident, police said he used his position as “president” to use the house’s line of credit to buy equipment that he then pawned for cash.
Police then learned the house has not been part of the Oxford House system of substance abuse recovery homes since the early 2000s, and Griffin was not the house “president.”
Griffin simply kept perpetuating the myth that the house was still affiliated with the Oxford House network and fooled the recovering addicts who showed up there, authorities said.
Oxford House has multiple residences in Lake County - including 21 in Waukegan - where addicts are responsible for staying sober, paying the rent and bills, helping with chores, maintaining the property and getting a job.
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