An accountant from Sandwich faces sentencing in June after pleading guilty to taking close to $200,000 from an Aurora dental office, court records show.
Gayla S. Cook, 52, was indicted last year on charges of theft and theft by deception in connection to missing money from Grand Dental between May 2010 and May 2013. Prosecutors alleged Cook created 88 checks and then deleted them without the owners’ knowledge to take $197,765.
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The bogus checks were created while working for the dental business which has offices in Aurora and other locations, including Sycamore. Cook’s name previously appeared as the accounting manager for Grand’s Sycamore office on its Better Business Bureau profile.
State records show Cook’s certified public accountant license expired in September and has not been renewed. Her license page does not list any current or previous disciplinary action, according to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation website.
Cook’s plea to the felony theft charge did not include a sentence, which means her punishment will be determined by Kane County Judge D.J. Tegeler at a June 24 hearing. She faces the possibility of prison time, but can receive probation for the Class 1 offense.
Prosecutors unsuccessfully asked Tegeler to revoke Cook’s bond at a recent hearing in a move that would have kept her in custody until sentencing. Tegeler did order Cook to surrender her passport, court records state.
Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News