GOP Board Boss Moustis’ Daughter Short $515 to Leave Jail

By Joseph Hosey

A daughter of Will County Board Republican Chairman Jim Moustis told a judge she can't come up with the $515 she needs to get out of jail.

"I have $200. That's it," the daughter, 46-year-old Judith LeGrand of Frankfort, told Will County Judge Roger Rickmon during her bond hearing Monday.

LeGrand was arrested on a county warrant charging her with deceptive practice and theft of services for allegedly passing bad checks to a dog boarding service. She wrote checks for $282 and $209 to Monee Animal Wellness Center in October, all the while knowing the bank would not honor them, according to court papers.

LeGrand was taken to the hearing in shackles and told Judge Rickmon she has a "grandbaby at the house" and that she is "the only one" to care for the child." She later said others live in her home and that "they're college age." Later still, LeGrand told the judge that a woman in the gallery who appeared to be in her 30s was her "girlfriend" and that "we live together."

LeGrand's girlfriend called out that she was going to get the money together and left the courtroom. LeGrand went back to jail.

Moustis, who has been on the county board since 1992 and is also the Frankfort Township supervisor, could not be reached for comment about his daughter's criminal case or financial situation.

Moustis also failed to return calls for comment after his grandson, Nicholas Moustis, was arrested on theft charges in May. Nicholas Moustis, 23, allegedly stole more than $3,600 from his employer, a Mokena wholesale cigarette distributor. His case is pending.

Less than three years prior to Nicholas Moustis's arrest, his uncle Matthew Moustis, who is Jim Moustis' son, was charged with stabbing a Mokena teen in the chest.

The Mokena teen, who is now 21, told police Matthew Moustis attacked and knifed him over a girl. The special prosecutor appointed to that case, Charles Colburn, dropped the charge against Matthew Moustis in December 2010. Colburn moved to dismiss the case after a grand jury declined to indict Matthew Moustis.

A special prosecutor is handling Nicholas Moustis' case as well but has yet to step up on the LeGrand matter.

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