Palatine woman pleads guilty to possession charge

A Palatine woman found with nearly 50 pounds of marijuana in her home pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis Tuesday in Rolling Meadows.

In exchange for her guilty plea, Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Scotillo sentenced Melissa Ficks, of the 400 block of N. Wilke Road, to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Prosecutors reduced the charges against the 32-year-old woman from a class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison to a class three felony which carries a sentence of two to five years in prison.

A drug-sniffing dog found the marijuana in a safe in Ficks' home, said Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Mike Crowe. He declined to comment further on the investigation.

Ficks, who has no criminal background, was visibly upset when she asked the court to delay her surrender until Dec. 10 to be with her daughter on her daughter's birthday.

Scotillo granted Ficks' request, noting that she could serve as an example to her daughter.

"Be sure you teach her there are no shortcuts in life," he said.