A former administrator with the Ray Graham Association has been sentenced to six months in DuPage County Jail, after being found guilty of stealing Illinois Link cards late last year from two disabled residents of agency-run homes in Naperville and Downers Grove.
Nakarria L. Bell, 31, of Chicago’s north side, was convicted of two felony counts of aggravated identity theft from the disabled in the DuPage County Circuit Court case. Judge Robert G. Kleeman on Tuesday sentenced her to 180 days in jail, placed her on three years of probation and ordered her to make $600 restitution, according to court records.
Bell had been indicted on 10 felony charges of aggravated identity theft from the disabled and financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person. The other eight counts were dismissed.
The Lisle-based Ray Graham Association’s Naperville home is in the Maplebrook neighborhood, in the central part of the city. Information posted on the agency’s website said the association was established in 1950, and serves almost 2,000 adults and children in the DuPage County-area “with primarily intellectual and developmental disabilities,” along with their families.
Authorities last month said Bell abused her position as an administrator and entered the two homes. She stole the residents’ Link cards last fall from safes, and then spent $600 in card credit on groceries, gasoline and other personal purchases.
Naperville police who met early last November with Ray Graham Association officials learned a card had been stolen on or before Oct. 27 from the Naperville home. Association officials met Nov. 27 with Downers Grove police, advising them a card had been stolen over a four-day period from the agency’s home in that village.
An examination of court documents revealed Bell had no prior criminal record in DuPage, Kane and Will counties. She has been in jail since being arrested, and with day-for-day credit for good behavior, could be released in about six weeks.