ST. CHARLES – A LaFox woman faces the possibility of prison after she was convicted of stealing more than $137,000 from her St. Charles law firm.

Ann Day, 56, was convicted of 28 counts of theft and forgery by Circuit Judge Timothy Sheldon. Sheldon issued his ruling late last week in writing, after a bench trial earlier this year.

Day now faces between four and 15 years in prison, or Sheldon could sentence her to probation. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

Prosecutors say Day took $137,237.27 from her law firm’s account in 2004.

Between January and October of that year, Day deposited checks made out to the law firm in her personal account, forged her partner’s signature on checks, and wrote herself checks from the firm’s account, prosecutors said. She also fudged the firm’s ledger to explain the checks.

Day’s lawyer, David Camic, said Tuesday that he was surprised by the verdict and is planning an appeal.

Camic said the state’s case never presented an accountant as a witness – just Day’s partner in the firm, Karen Tietz.

“If [Day] is entitled to half of the pie and there’s no one to tell us what the whole is, how do you prove [the case] without the accounting?” he asked.

Police said Tietz disbanded their law firm Day and Tietz, P.C. after she found discrepancies in the firm’s accounting, which she reported to police.

After an investigation, Day was arrested in February 2005.

Day, who remains free on bond and continues to practice law, also has a pending claim with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission related to the case. She faces a suspension or the loss of her license.