Former top Iroquois County public health official charged with theft of government property

WATSEKA — A former administrator of the Iroquois County Public Health Departments faces up to 30 years in prison on charges she submitted fraudulent time sheets claiming to have worked hours she did not actually work, valued at more than $100,000.

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office charged Dee Ann Schippert, 57, of Watseka on Wednesday with two counts of theft of government property, which are Class X felonies punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

She was also charged with six additional Class 1 felony counts of theft of government property, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison; eight counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison; and 17 counts of official misconduct, Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.

Schippert was arrested and charged Wednesday. Her next court date is April 4.

Schippert became administrator of the public health department when it was established in July 2014 after the dissolution of the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department.

According to the charges, from May 2020 to July 2022, Schippert deceived the government by misrepresenting to the Iroquois County Board of Health how much work and what type of work she did.

That included submitting multiple fraudulent timesheets claiming regular and overtime work hours she did not actually work.

Schippert was arrested following an Illinois State Police investigation.