A Community High School District 128 board member and an administrative secretary were indicted Wednesday on perjury charges related to the circulation of election nominating papers, according to Lake County state’s attorney’s office officials.
The district includes Libertyville and Vernon Hills high schools.
Ellen Mauer, a board member for 12 years and current board secretary, has been indicted by a Lake County grand jury on four counts of perjury, officials said. The charge is a class 3 felony that carries a potential sentence of two to five years in prison upon conviction. It is also probationable.
Denise Zwit, secretary to district Superintendent Prentiss Lea and a district employee of more than three decades, was indicted on three counts of the same charge, authorities said.
According to the indictments, both Mauer and Zwit allegedly affirmed that they had personally collected signatures on election petition pages, while the state claims they did not collect the signatures themselves.
Mauer, who is also a principal at Gurnee’s Spaulding School, said Wednesday that while she had been interviewed by investigators, she was not aware of anything involving her nomination papers. She said she would need to speak to someone about the indictment and added she didn’t have any additional comment.
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Zwit also declined to comment when contacted Wednesday morning, saying she had not been notified.
A Lake County Circuit Court judge issued $25,000 arrest warrants for both Mauer and Zwit Wednesday, but officials with the state’s attorney’s office said Wednesday afternoon that arrangements were being made with both of them to turn themselves in within the next day or so for booking.
At that time, it is possible the bonds could be reduced, otherwise each would have to post $2,500 to remain out of custody.
District spokeswoman Mary Todoric said “since this is a legal matter,” neither the district nor Lea would have a comment.
Libertyville resident Tim Anderson said Wednesday he contacted the state’s attorney’s office after becoming suspicious of Mauer’s election petitions for the April 4 school board election and Zwit’s alleged involvement with them.
Mauer received the highest number of votes among five candidates in the election.
Anderson said he spoke in January to an investigator about his concerns, spurring an investigation.
“I’m glad the state’s attorney has acted,” Anderson said, adding that he does not believe Mauer circulated her own petitions.
Anderson, who is an activist on issues involving the district and the board, said he noticed a large number of similarities in the petitions of Mauer and another board candidate, and that many of the signatures were those of district staff members.
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