CL Man Charged with Shooting, Possession of Marijuana and Intent to Deliver

A Crystal Lake man was arrested and charged with a list of offenses including reckless shooting of a firearm, and manufacturing and intending to deliver marijuana. 

Cameron J. Ratcliff, 30, of 651 Virginia Rd. unit 127, was arrested Aug. 1, by and charged with one count of each of the following:

• Unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class 1 felony.
• Defacing identification marks on a firearm, a Class 2 felony.
• Unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony.
• Unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, a Class 3 felony.
• Unlawful possession of marijuana, a Class 4 felony.
• Unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. 
• Reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony.
• Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, Class A misdemeanor.

Police said at about 1:44 a.m. on July 31, 2012, an officer conducting a foot patrol in the area of , 6140 Route 14, heard what appeared to be several gun shots coming from the area of Virginia Road and Teckler Boulevard.

Officers searched the area, but were not able to locate the source of the sounds, or any involved subjects. The following evening, additional information was received by police pertaining to this incident and a possible suspect was identified, according to a press release issued by the Crystal Lake Police Department.

During the investigation, police obtained a search warrant for Ratcliff's Virginia Road apartment.

There, investigators discovered a .40-caliber Ruger pistol and a safe containing drugs. The investigation into this incident revealed the pistol was discharged numerous times the previous night in a nearby undeveloped lot, resulting in no known damage or injury, police said.

Ratcliff was later transported to the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock to await a bond hearing.