ELGIN – An Illinois Department of Human Services social worker at Elgin Mental Health Center faces criminal charges for engaging in sexual conduct with a patient at the center, according to a news release.

Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon on April 5 charged 53-year-old Christy L. Lenhardt of the 200 block of Paine Street, South Elgin, with eight counts of the offense of sexual misconduct with a person with disabilities, a Class 3 felony, and six counts of the offense of official misconduct, also a Class 3 felony.

Kane County prosecutors alleged in charging documents that on multiple occasions between November 2014 and July 2017 Lenhardt, a social worker for the Illinois Department of Human Services at Elgin Mental Health Center, engaged in sexual conduct with the victim, a patient at Elgin Mental Health Center, the release stated.

Lenhart knew the sexual conduct was forbidden by law, the release stated.

A Kane County judge on April 4 issued a warrant for Lenhardt’s arrest and set her bail at $100,000 with 10 percent, or $10,000, to apply for bond, the release stated.

Lenhardt was taken into custody the morning of April 5 by the Illinois State Police. She appeared that afternoon in Kane County bond court in front of Associate Judge Todd Tarter, who set her initial court appearance for 9 a.m. April 20 in Courtroom 311 at the Kane County Judicial Center, the release stated.

If convicted, Lenhardt faces a sentence of probation or between two and five years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections, the release stated.

The Illinois State Police investigated the case.