Harvard man gets 10 years in prison after $10K in cocaine found at home

A Harvard was man has been sentenced to 10½ years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing 100 to 400 grams of cocaine.

Cameron J. Ratcliff, 40, of the 1300 block of 7th Street, was originally charged with possessing the cocaine with the intent to deliver, a Class “Super” X felony that carried a possible sentence of nine to 40 years in prison, according to the indictment.

That charge – along with delivering 1 to 15 grams of cocaine and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon – were dismissed as part of the plea deal approved at a March 24 hearing before Judge James Cowlin, McHenry County court records show.

Ratcliff was arrested following an investigation into “drug activity” at his home, according to a news release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Police stopped Ratcliff on March 3 after he was “observed committing … what appeared to be a narcotics transaction” while under surveillance by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force, prosecutors said in a March 2022 motion.

On March 3, 2022, the defendant was observed committing ... what appeared to be a narcotics transaction, while he was under surveillance by the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force. He was the subject of a traffic stop. The defendant had cocaine in his possession. He also had approximately $1,500 in his possession.

—  Assistant State's Attorney Ken E. Hudson in a motion

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force obtained a search warrant and during the search, police found about 104 grams of cocaine in Ratcliff’s home, according to the release.

The cocaine had an estimated street value of $10,500, according to the prosecutors’ motion.

Ratcliff was on parole at the time of his March 2022 arrest for a 2015 case, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. In that case, he pleaded guilty to delivery of cocaine and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to McHenry County court records.

Ratcliff is required to serve at least 50% of his new 10½-year sentence, according to the sentencing order. He will receive credit for the 387 days he’s spent in custody, as well as credit for 148 days for the 296 days he spent in a self-improvement program, volunteer work or work assignment.

Brian Miller of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.