Backpack Full Of Cocaine Gets Montgomery Man Prison Time

MONTGOMERY, IL — A Montgomery man was sentenced to 12 years in prison, pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after police found a backpack full of cocaine in his home. Charles McGath, 44, of the 1800 block of Candlelight Circle, was arrested in November 2017 after a search warrant at his home turned up 255 grams of the drug, stashed in a backpack in a bedroom closet.

Police also found $3,000 in cash, a scale and packaging materials commonly associated with drug dealing in the home. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Kane County Judge Donald M. Tegeler Jr. accepted McGath's plea on July 26. In addition to prison time, Tegeler also ordered McGath to pay a $23,000 fine, the approximate street value of the drugs.

Under Illinois law, McGath must serve at least 75 percent of the sentence. He receives credit for time served in the Kane County jail since his arrest.

Photo: Charles McGath/Kane County State's Attorney's Office