Former food pantry treasurer pleads guilty to theft

YORKVILLE, Ill. (AP) - The former treasurer of a suburban Chicago food pantry has pleaded guilty to stealing from the nonprofit.

In pleading guilty to felony theft, Kenneth Spaeth agreed to two years of probation and paying about $14,300 in restitution to the Kendall County Food Pantry in Yorkville.

A grand jury indicted both Spaeth and his 78-year-old stepfather, William Crowley, last year on charges of theft or unauthorized control of between $10,000 and $100,000. The charges alleged each "knowingly exerted unauthorized control over property" of the food pantry."

Crowley, who lives in Arizona, is next due in court April 23.

Prosecutor Charles Colburn said while the late Maria Spaeth was executive director, the pantry incurred unauthorized billings of "several hundred thousand" dollars. He said those charges couldn't be criminally attributed to her husband.