Six people were accused of seeking government aid through false claims made during the novel coronavirus pandemic. One of them has pleaded guilty.

Amanda K. Rogers, 33, of Ottawa, appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court and entered a blind plea to theft, a Class 1 felony carrying a possible prison sentence of four to 15 years. Additional charges were dismissed.

In exchange for her plea, La Salle County prosecutors agreed to recommend no more than five years in prison when she is sentenced Jan. 15 before Circuit Judge Michelle A. Vescogni.

In open court, prosecutor Laura Hall said Rogers applied for a government loan after submitting paperwork showing she owned an Ottawa business with gross profits over $100,000. Though Rogers was later found to own and operate no such business, the fraudulent claims resulted in her obtaining a loan for nearly $30,000.

Rogers, who will have an opportunity to make a statement at sentencing, is the first of the six defendants to plead guilty in La Salle County.

Earlier this year, La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro announced the filing of felony charges after the Illinois Department of Revenue flagged some questionable applications for COVID-19 relief funds across the state.

The remaining five La Salle County defendants are: Amber N. Norman of Streator; Gabriel S. Myart of Glen Ellyn; Larry A. Chandler of Sauk Village; James Z. Forbes of Lacon; and Ebony R. Green of University Park.

Each is charged with theft, a Class 1 felony carrying four to 15 years; loan fraud, a Class 2 felony (three to seven years); and forgery, a Class 3 felony (two to five years). Court records show the suspects are alleged to have applied for and received government aid ranging from more than $10,000 to more than $20,000.

Navarro said the charges were not the result of a conspiracy per se, but the suspects “probably acted in concert” and some of the documents bore similarities such as the same fictitious companies.