A 67-year-old Richmond man who authorities say surrounded himself with an “arsenal” of weapons is headed to prison for six years after admitting he illegally possessed a machine gun. Jerome N. Ruckdeschel will receive credit for time he has already spent in custody, followed by 18 months of mandatory supervised release and a $10,649 fine, according to court records.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
As detailed in a judgment order filed in McHenry County court by Judge Tiffany Davis, Ruckdeschel pleaded guilty to being a felon unlawfully in possession of a machine gun, a Class X felony, Shaw Local reported. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss 10 additional weapons counts that had been hanging over him. The judgment notes both the fine and the supervised release term and confirms that Ruckdeschel will get credit for time he has already spent behind bars.
What Deputies Found at the Home
The case grew out of a search that McHenry County sheriff’s deputies carried out at a residence in the 9900 block of N. Clark Road in unincorporated Spring Grove. According to the sheriff’s office, what they walked into was no ordinary gun stash. In a news release, the office described recovering an “arsenal” that included 191 completed firearms, 198 partial firearms, suppressors, a ballistic vest and helmet, and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition. Investigators said the haul led to multiple felony weapons counts against Ruckdeschel as they continued to build the case.
Plea Deal, Earlier Hearings, and a Civil Suit
Ruckdeschel was indicted on nearly a dozen weapons counts in late 2024 and had been on track for a trial the week of June 15 before opting to take the plea instead, according to earlier coverage from Shaw Local. That reporting also notes he was named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of embezzling about $1.2 million from an elderly relative. Court records show that the civil case was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice in December 2024. During an Oct. 16, 2024, pretrial hearing, a judge said the probable cause proffer described dozens of loaded guns hidden throughout the home, a detail that raised public safety concerns as the criminal case moved forward.
Legal Context and Docket Details
Under Illinois law, unlawful possession of a machine gun by a felon can be charged as a Class X felony, which the Illinois Criminal Code treats as a serious offense with significant prison exposure. McHenry County court listings for case number 2024CF995 show that multiple weapons counts were initially filed and later marked dismissed as part of the negotiated plea, while the felon-possession of a machine gun count now carries the six-year sentence. County inmate records reflect that sentence entry. Taken together, the state and local records outline a case that paired an unusually large weapons seizure with the legal limits imposed on Ruckdeschel because of his prior felony history.
