Paris, Missouri. A former public administrator in Monroe County who is accused of 34 charges of financial exploitation, theft, and forgery will have a bond reduction hearing on Wednesday.
In a video conference with Judge Rick Roberts and Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Volkert, Jessica Chase and lawyer Sheri Nelson are set to appear in Monroe County Circuit Court.
Following a hearing on Volkert’s move to revoke bond, Roberts issued a warrant on June 16 to return Chase to the Randolph County Jail, and the bond amount was set at $150,000.
On November 6, Chase was taken out of custody and put under house arrest at her residence. She was put on electronic surveillance and was not permitted to leave her house unless she or her minor children needed medical attention. Following that, on April 2, Roberts issued an order allowing Chase to work in her yard, establish a garden, and go to church in Sante Fe, Missouri.
On June 12, Volkert submitted her application to cancel her bond. She claimed that while regularly engaging with the public, Chase had established a home-based laundry service that paid cash and tips, and she was using social media to promote her enterprise.
Additionally, Volkert stated that Chase had been urging and asking her clients to consult her about becoming foster parents, a position that always entails handling money for people who are not legally able to do it for themselves.
According to Volkert’s motion, “the defendant’s actions show a complete disregard for the conditions of her bond and demonstrate a lack of appreciation for the severity of charges she is facing.”
On June 10, 2024, Chase was taken into custody by the Division of Drug and Crime Control of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. She was accused of:
- Three counts of financial exploitation of an elder/disabled person, a Class E felony punishable for up to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections or one year in jail;
- Two counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit device, also a Class E felony;
- Three counts of financial exploitation of an elder/disabled person, a Class D felony punishable for up to seven years in the DOC or one year in jail;
- Seven counts of filing false documents, also a Class D felony;
- 12 counts of felony stealing $750 or more, also a Class D felony;
- Six counts of forgery, also a Class D felony;
- One count of money laundering, a Class B felony punishable for between five and 15 years in the DOC.
