36th Ward candidate Jacqueline Baez arrested for writing bad checks
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A candidate for 36th Ward alderperson in Chicago has been arrested on misdemeanor charges. Jacqueline Baez was taken into custody Tuesday night, accused of writing bad checks to a DuPage County business.
Baez, 52, was brought to the 25th (Grand Central) District station around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Chicago Police said she was arrested on a warrant out of DuPage County.
The candidate had a warrant for her arrest, accused of writing bad checks, which is a misdemeanor charge.
Baez is listed as a defendant in a case filed by Big Tent Events, Inc., based in St. Charles. Court documents show the company claims Baez owes them nearly $7,000.
In 2017, Baez ran a business called Puerto Rican Cultural Association of Chicago. At that time, Big Tent Events, Inc., supplied labor, equipment, tents, and delivery for Baez's event. She wrote a check that was deposited twice, and it bounced both times.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot went to the Montclare neighborhood address listed on Baez's campaign website. There was no answer. Calls reached only a message that her voicemail box was full.
On her website, Baez says she's lived in the 36th ward for 19 years. The ward encompasses parts of the Dunning, Belmont Cragin, Humboldt Park, West Town, and Montclare neighborhoods.
Baez has an associate's degree of Applied Science in Criminal Justice. In 2021, she became an ambassador for the 25th District Chicago Police Department Neighborhood Policing Initiative Program. That's the same district where officers brought her into custody on Tuesday.
Her arrest won't force her off the ballot in next week's election.
"A candidate's arrest does not immediately disqualify them from the ballot," said Max Bever, Director of Public Information for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. "So in this case, an arrest is not a conviction. So the state law points towards being a convicted felon. So at this point this would not affect any candidate status on the ballot for the February 28th municipal election."
Baez is one of three candidates challenging incumbent Ald. Gilbert Villegas in the 36th Ward. The other challengers are Leonor Torres Whitt and David Herrera.
In a statement received by CBS 2 on Thursday, Baez said the incident was "politically motivated. I strongly condemn the unjustified arrest."
Full statement:
