Bartlett woman pleads not guilty to stealing from employer

A Bartlett woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Lake County Circuit Court to charges she stole more than $300,000 from her former Lake Zurich employer.

Assistant State's Attorney Tim Niehus said Jennifer Kirby, 35, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of theft and forgery.

Niehus said Kirby, of 454 Giles Court, handled payroll and accounts for Gere Marie Corporation, a manufacturer of after-market parts for boats, located at 1030 Commercial Drive.

Starting in November of last year, police say Kirby took checks mailed to the company as payment, signed the company owner's name on them and deposited them in her own account.

An audit revealed $311,318 had been diverted into Kirby's account through this method, Niehus said.

Kirby is also accused of adding her name to a credit card account used by the company's owner, Niehus said, and making $13,904 in unauthorized charges.

Circuit Judge James Booras scheduled a trial of the case for Dec. 7, and ordered Kirby to appear in court Nov. 13.

Kirby's attorney, Stephen Simonian of Libertyville, said he would investigate the charges against Kirby, and declined to comment further.