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Trial postponed for District 128 employee accused of perjury

The trial date has been postponed for a Lake County high school district employee accused of falsifying nomination petitions when assisting others to run for elected office.

Denise Zwit, 65, the assistant to Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 Superintendent Prentiss Lea, faces three counts of perjury after allegations she signed legal documents falsely claiming she was present when nomination petitions were circulated for the April 5 school board election.

Judge Daniel Shanes postponed Zwit's trial until Feb. 13 to give prosecutors and defense attorneys enough time to investigate the case.

She remains free from Lake County jail on $25,000 bond.

Zwit and District 128 school board member Ellen Mauer, 52, pleaded not guilty to the perjury charges. Mauer was charged with four counts of perjury after allegations she falsified nomination petitions when she ran for re-election.

Zwit and Mauer, who also serves as principal at Spaulding School in Gurnee, face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of the felony charges at trial. Probation also would be possible.

Mauer has continued to serve on the District 128 board since being indicted last month.

Zwit is due back in court Sept. 26.

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