A former Waterloo man was charged Friday with felony theft stemming from a Monroe County Sheriff’s Department investigation that began last year.

The MCSD said it received a report from an elderly female resident regarding a significant financial loss from her personal bank account after noticing unauthorized withdrawals had been made.

Investigators eventually identified a suspect who had allegedly gained unauthorized access to the woman’s account over a three-month span in 2024.

On May 22, the MCSD took Zachery Heilig, 26, formerly of Waterloo, into custody. He was charged the next day with theft and unauthorized control of property valued between $500 and $10,000, which is a Class 3 felony.

The charges allege that Heilig knowingly and unlawfully, through an ongoing course of conduct, obtained unauthorized control over the victim’s U.S. currency from her account, with the intent to permanently deprive her of the funds and use them for personal benefit.  

Heilig was detained and remanded to the Monroe County Jail pending a pre-trial release hearing. Pursuant to provisions outlined in the Illinois SAFE-T Act, he was later released from custody following the hearing and is currently awaiting future court proceedings.

This investigation was led by James Vogt of the MCSD.

“The department remains committed to protecting elderly and vulnerable residents and will continue to pursue justice on their behalf,” MCSD Sgt. Justin Biggs said.