Professor Charged for Child Porn Also Had 2 Pistols, 1,600 Rounds of Ammunition, by Charlotte Eriksen, The Patch, March 3, 2012

Professor Charged for Child Porn Also Had 2 Pistols, 1,600 Rounds of Ammunition

By Charlotte Eriksen
The Patch
March 3, 2012

http://batavia.patch.com/articles/professor-charged-for-child-porn-also-had-2-pistols-1600-rounds-of-ammunition

Donald Ratcliff of Carol Stream will appear in DuPage County Court for a bond hearing Thursday, March 8. His bond is set at $750,000.

A Wheaton College professor accused of possessing child porn, weapons and ammunition has a bond hearing this Thursday, March 8.

Donald Ratcliff, 60, was charged Thursday with:

Two counts of aggravated possession of child pornography
Two counts of possession of a firearm without a FOID card
One count of possession of ammunition without a FOID card

Ratcliff teaches an online course in children's spirituality. He was unable to post bond Friday morning.

Dan Collins, attorney for Ratcliff, requested next week's hearing in front of DuPage County Judge Elizabeth Sexton Friday morning. Officials said Ratcliff had 1,600 rounds of ammunition and the weapons were pistols. Collins said Ratcliff's weapons were "family heirlooms."

Ratcliff, who lives in Carol Stream and is a faculty member at Wheaton College, will be required to surrender the guns and ammunition until the March 8 hearing. He also will be prohibited from using computers, the internet and from having contact with anyone under 18.

Assistant State's Attorney Anne Therieau said six or seven computers were seized from Ratcliff after an undercover investigation conducted by Carol Stream police.

Ratcliff is a professor of Christian education at Wheaton College. According to a statement from the college, an administrative leave for Ratcliff is pending.