Harvard man accused in $50K drug bust pleads guilty to cocaine possession, gets 9 years in prison

A Harvard man with a past felony conviction, who police said in 2022 had more than $50,000 in illegal drugs in his home, pleaded guilty Thursday and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Nicholas M. Stegg, of the 1400 block of Northfield Court, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of 100 to 400 grams of cocaine, a Class 1 felony, according to an order in McHenry County court.

In exchange for his guilty plea, additional charges were dismissed, including a more serious charge of manufacturing and delivering 100 to 400 grams of cocaine, a Class X felony, as well as possession and manufacturing and delivering 500 to 2,000 grams of marijuana, court records show.

He is required to serve half of his prison term. When released from prison, he will be on mandatory supervised release for one year. He will receive credit for 874 days spent in the county jail plus 84 days, which is a half-day credit for each day Stegg spent working, volunteering or engaged in self-improvement activities, the sentencing order said.

A search of Stegg’s home in January 2022 revealed 1,610 grams of marijuana flower with an approximate street value of $32,200 and 196 grams of cocaine with a street value of about $19,600, according to court records related to Stegg’s case.

His attorney declined to comment.

In 2014, Stegg was convicted of manufacturing and delivering 1 to 15 grams of cocaine and sentenced to four years and six months in prison, according to court records.