13½ years in prison for man caught with 2 kilos of cocaine in Elgin
A 32-year-old man who was arrested in October 2017 in Elgin with two kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $200,000 in his vehicle has been sentenced to 13½ years in prison.
Andrew L. Ramirez, of the 700 block of Ashland Avenue, Rockford, recently pleaded guilty in Kane County court to one count of possession of a controlled substance of more than 900 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver, which is a felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.
Judge D.J. Tegeler accepted the guilty plea, which also requires Ramirez to pay a $100,000 drug fine in addition to court costs, according to court records.
Under the plea, less severe drug charges were dismissed, according to court records.
Ramirez had been held at the Kane County jail on $300,000 bail after his arrest at East Chicago Street and Riverside Drive in Elgin Oct. 18, 2017.
According to police, officers found two kilograms of cocaine, which is about 4½ pounds, hidden in his vehicle. The drugs had an estimated street value of $200,000, authorities said.
Because of the quantity of drugs in the crime, Ramirez must serve 75 percent of his sentence, or just more than 10 years.
Ramirez gets credit for more than 17 months while being held at the Kane County jail.