DIXON - Former Comptroller Rita Crundwell pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 60 different felony counts of theft.
Each count ranges from $100,000 to $350,000 from 2010 to 2012. Crundwell appeared in court for the second time at the Lee County Courthouse.
Crundwell entered the courtroom Wednesday wearing a black jacket. She sat in court next to her public defender Bob Thompson. The hearing lasted about 15 minutes, with Thompson and Crundwell not speaking to the media afterward. She quickly got into a black GMC and left the parking lot.
"She looked like a whipped puppy," Dixon Mayor Jim Burke said. "She's a very attractive woman, but she looked very dejected and very depressed."
Burke showed up to Wednesday's hearing because he felt like the city, "needed to be represented." He got to the courtroom about a half an hour before the hearing.
"We had gone to the state's attorney about pressing state charges against her," Burke said.
Only about 10 people from the public showed up to Wednesday's hearing. Burke was surprised that more Dixon residents didn't show up.
"I got here early because I thought it would be standing room only," he said. "But apparently not too many people were interested in coming to this."
Crundwell's next hearing is set for December 19th at the Lee County Courthouse. The state case is completely separate from the federal charge on one count of wire fraud.