By Nick Reiher

Will County Board Member Jacqueline Traynere pleaded not guilty to three counts of computer tampering during a Sept. 9 court hearing, according to her attorney, Colin “CJ” Haney.

Each count is considered a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 180 days imprisonment in county jail and a maximum fine of $1,500, plus any mandatory court costs. The defendant also could be placed on a period of court supervision, conditional discharge or probation for a maximum of two years.

“Our preliminary investigation indicates that each county commissioner was provided the same password for their county email accounts,” Haney said in a press release.

“Upon learning this, Commissioner Traynere immediately notified the IT department of this significant security issue and requested that new passwords be issued. Clearly this would constitute a violation of standard computer security protocols that should be in place, even in small, locally owned businesses, let alone in the third largest county in the state.

“We are also currently investigating whether the former county board leadership was aware of this security issue and chose not to require any corrective actions.

“We anticipate mounting a vigorous defense and expect a favorable outcome.”

The next hearing is set before Will County Associate Judge Derek W. Ewanic for 9 a.m. October 21 in Courtroom 202 at the Will County Courthouse.

Traynere said later Ewanic was assigned the case by Chief Judge Daniel Kennedy, after initially being assigned to Associate Judge Donald DeWilkins. When he demurred, he asked Associate Judge Collette Safford to consider a referral. She declined and asked the chief judge to intervene.

She also said she did not receive a copy of the summons from special prosecutor William X. Elward until five days after she had read about it in a local newspaper. Asked for a comment, Traynere issued the following statement:

“All facts have not been heard. As a public servant I can’t for the life of me figure out why we were all given the same passwords. That being said, my accidental access to the former chair’s email gave me no personal or political benefit.”

The summons alleges that Traynere, on or about March 6, “… knowingly and without authorization of Judy H. Ogalla, accessed the email of Judy H. Ogalla … .” Another count alleges that Traynere forwarded Ogalla’s emails to herself and others.

Ogalla, who still is on the County Board, at that time was Board Chair. Asked by Farmers Weekly Review if she had any comment on the charges or the case, Ogalla said she had none, in case she were to be called as a witness at some point.

Elward also summoned Traynere in connection with an accident she had on March 11 this year involving a person riding a bike in a crosswalk.

The charge alleges Traynere “when traffic control signals were not in place or not in operation, failed to stop and yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger …”

Reports indicate Traynere stopped to check on the bicycle rider and reported the incident to the Bolingbrook Police Department. After several judges passed on hearing the case, it ultimately was dismissed when no one showed up in court to challenge it.

That charge, considered by the court as a petty offense, was not brought up at the September 9 hearing.

Nick Reiher is editor of Farmers Weekly Review.