Former Geneva worker avoids prison with plea

Steve LeMaire, Geneva's former streets superintendent, Friday admitted to stealing from the city.

He pleaded guilty to one county of felony theft. In exchange, Kane County prosecutors agreed not to prosecute him on charges of official misconduct and online theft by deception.

LeMaire was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 100 hours of community service. He also must repay $28,478.10 to the city in payments of at least $200 a month. His $5,000 bail will go toward that restitution.

LeMaire declined to comment after his hearing before Kane County Court Judge Timothy Sheldon.

LeMaire had a city credit card to buy items for the streets department. According to assistant state's attorney Christina Wascher, between February 2006 and January 2012 LeMaire used the card to buy items for himself. He wrote on some of the receipts that the items were for “city equipment,” and attached the receipts to the billing statements. He then wrote codes by the charges indicating to what city account the items should be accounted, Wascher said.

LeMaire's boss, public works superintendent Dan Dinges, discovered the thefts when reviewing a bill in January that LeMaire hadn't seen. Geneva police investigated, and LeMaire admitted to using the card for personal use, Wascher said.

Mayor Kevin Burns fired him in February.

LeMaire, 55, of Elburn, could have been sentenced to between four and 15 years in prison. He worked for the city for 33 years.

In the wake of the incident, Geneva has examined its credit card and charge account policies and put stricter controls on authorization for use and review of charges.