A former St. Charles woman faces criminal charges for stealing money from the Aurora-based Fox Valley Special Recreation Association.
Kane County State’s attorney Joe McMahon has charged 42-year-old Jessica J. Leonard with the offense of theft, Class 2 felony, two counts.
Kane County prosecutors allege that between January 2015 and November 2017 Leonard stole between $10,000 and $100,000 from the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association.
According to Aurora police, Leonard at the time worked as the association’s business manager. Association officials discovered the financial irregularities in 2018 after Leonard left the job and moved to DeWitt, Mich.
A judge in August issued a warrant for Leonard’s arrest and set her bail at $20,000 with 10 percent ($2,000) to apply for bond. Leonard Sept. 11, 2019, surrendered to Aurora police, posted the $2,000 bond and was released.
Her initial court appearance is set for 9 a.m. October 9, in Courtroom 311 at the Kane County Judicial Center.
If convicted, Leonard faces a sentence of probation or between three and seven years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The charges against Leonard are not proof of guilt. Leonard is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
—Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office