Bond reduced for Joliet activist facing forgery, identity theft charges

JOLIET – A judge reduced bail Monday for a local community activist facing forgery and identity theft charges.

Amy E. Sanchez, 37, of Joliet, was being held in the Will County jail on $200,000 bond since her arrest Sept. 14 by Crest Hill police.

"It's a serious charge, but this amount is extreme," Judge Carmen Goodman said while reviewing a motion by defense attorney Chuck Bretz to have bond reduced.

"Looking at her history I see no priors and a lot of community service for a long period of time," Goodman said.

The judge set the bond at $20,000.

In June 2014, forged payroll checks were being cashed at Supermercado El Guero and being returned when the numbers on the checks didn't match the numbers for the accounts, according to previous Herald-News reports. Special Prosecutor Thomas Brown told Goodman the bogus checks appeared to come from Senior Suites of Joliet and Sanchez, who worked at Senior Suites, would verify the employment of the person cashing the check if the grocery store called to confirm it.

Donshai T. Calahan, 34, who investigators identified as the organizer of the scheme, pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery.

Brown told Goodman the forged checks totaled several thousand dollars. Will County State's Attorney spokesman Charles Pelkie said the case was given to a special prosecutor because the state's attorney's office has worked on a number of projects with Sanchez.

Sanchez is a founder of the Collins Street Neighborhood Council and regularly speaks out against gang violence.

In July, Sanchez helped organize a demonstration for peace in front of the Will County courthouse after two black men were fatally shot by police in Louisiana and Minnesota and five police officers were killed in Dallas. In April, she spoke to Joliet Job Corps students as a member of the Joliet Unity Movement, which encourages young people to improve their lives and the community.