Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Mar. 30 that a suburban man has been sentenced to prison for his role in the December 2022 drug-induced homicide of Joshua Burks, a 20-year-old from Lake Barrington, Illinois.
The case is significant as it highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and state officials to address the impact of fentanyl-laced drugs on communities. Fentanyl continues to be linked with overdose deaths and public health concerns across Illinois.
In April 2025, a Lake County jury found Luke Napolitano, age 23, guilty in connection with Burks’ death. On Mar. 30, Lake County Circuit Court Judge D. Christopher Lombardo sentenced Napolitano to twelve 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 officer with the Illinois State Police.
“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 that Napolitano sold Burks drugs laced with fentanyl which led to his death in December 2022. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office determined during its investigation that Napolitano was also selling drugs in Cook and DuPage counties.
The Statewide Grand Jury Bureau under Raoul is authorized by state law to prosecute multi-county cases involving crimes such as drug offenses or money laundering while working closely with other agencies on complex criminal activity.
The office of the Illinois Attorney General has advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants and seniors according to its official website. It handles thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website and aims to protect consumers while promoting safer communities according to its official website. The office extends advocacy efforts statewide according to its official website, partners with law enforcement agencies supporting crime victims according to its official website, and offers services such as complaint filing related to consumer fraud or civil rights issues according to its official website.
Assistant Attorneys General Steven Knight and Andrew Whitfield prosecuted this case through Raoul’s Statewide Grand Jury Bureau.
