1 charged in Hewitt scam skips court

An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for a former Hewitt Associates employee - one of 20 charged with abusing the company's education reimbursement fund - who failed to appear in court for arraignment.

The other 19 entered pleas of not guilty during hearings before Circuit Judge John Phillips.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney James Newman said the former employees are charged with forgery and theft for filing claims from a company fund that provides up to $5,000 per year for education cost reimbursement.

Police said the defendants would file claims for classes they never took, and in some cases falsely claimed they earned degrees.

Officials estimate more than $100,000 was stolen from the Lincolnshire company over the life of the scheme, which was in operation from September 2005 until September of this year.

The warrant was issued for Andre Ford, 28, of Chicago, and calls for him to be held on $25,000 bond.

Other Chicago residents who entered not guilty pleas were: Harolyn Arnold, 41; Shawn Golden, 32; Channel Clemons, 33; Kristopher McClendon, 30; and Kenya McMillan, 28; Nekessa Johnson, 31; Dora Collins, 36; Tracy Reed, 33; and Lisa White, 29.

Also pleading not guilty Wednesday were: Chimere Barton, 36, of Evanston; Lekeydrance Carter, 24, of Des Plaines; Shawn Goff, 32, of Bellwood; and Grealyn Garcilazo, 36, of Gurnee; Toni Ford, 27, of Gautier, Miss.; Dionte Flowers, 29, of Hammond, Ind.; Georgia Davis, 28, of Zion; Alexia Dennis, 25, of South Holland; Kevin Dansby, 29, of Wadsworth; and Latoya Seaton, 26, of Calumet City.

Newman said the theft charges carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, and forgery is punishable by up to five years.

Those convicted of both crimes would also be eligible for local jail time and probation, he said.

Phillips scheduled a trial for Feb. 23, and ordered all the defendants to appear in court Jan. 27.