Woman stole $163,000 from St. Charles law firm
A 48-year-old former Geneva woman was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday for stealing $163,000 from a Kane County law firm over an eight-month period in 2011.
Jordan E. Terry, now of the 7900 block of Tippacanoe Drive, Walkerton, Indiana, faced between four and 15 years in prison on the felony theft charge she pleaded guilty to in September 2014.
According to prosecutors and court records, Terry, a 7½-year employee at the Van Der Snick Law firm, stole $163,373.86 from the firm between January 2011 and August 2011 by forging attorney signatures on checks.
She turned herself in to authorities in April 2013 but has been free on bond.
Attorney J. Brick Van Der Snick, who owns the St. Charles law firm, said the theft took a financial toll on the firm and exacted an emotional toll on him and his family.
Van Der Snick said he invited Terry into his home for dinners and even gave her extra money to fly and see her son before he was deployed to Afghanistan.
"The whole case has been very emotional," Van Der Snick said. "The damage she did was severe. We are glad there's closure and we're glad we can move on."
Van Der Snick credited St. Charles Police Detective Andrew Lamela for his work on the case, but added he was angry that Terry did not give a statement nor apology to the court as virtually all defendants do when being sentenced.
"I'm very upset about that. All along, not only was she not in any way remorseful or apologetic to me, she has never given an explanation," he said, adding Terry's lifestyle didn't show any signs that she used the money for drugs or gambling.
"I don't believe that she doesn't have this money somewhere," Van Der Snick added. "The $163,000 is somewhere, I think. She testified there was no money (left). (It's) very hurtful."
Terry can have her sentence cut in half for good behavior while in prison. She also has been ordered to pay full restitution, starting at $500 a month, after her prison release.