Fox Lake woman gets jail, probation for drug sales

A Fox Lake woman who admitted selling cocaine to an undercover police officer will spend the next three years in jail when she is not working or attending drug treatment.

Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras also ordered Jennifer Gersch, 43, to serve three years on probation and to perform 100 hours of public service.

Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle Pascucci said Gersch, of the first block of Riverview Place, pleaded guilty to delivery of a controlled substance on April 18 in exchange for a promise she would not be sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Gersch admitted selling a little more than two grams of cocaine to an undercover officer of the Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group on Sept. 17 of last year and also to a second exchange on Sept. 23.

Pascucci asked for sentence of six years in prison, saying Gersch had been cited for numerous violations of probation after felony convictions in 1989 for theft and 2003 for forgery.

Assistant Public Defender Katherine Hatch argued for a term of probation, claiming Gersch had demonstrated a willingness and ability to change and had three children to support.

Although Booras said he had little faith Gersch would successfully complete this term of probation, he imposed the sentence regardless and warned Gersch she could be resentenced to the original seven years if she is found in violation of the sentence.