A judge in Grundy County Circuit Court is upholding a $50,000 cash-only bond for Patricia M. Eckert of Laredo after Eckert was charged with felony forgery and stealing stemming from a case involving Wesley United Methodist Church in Trenton.

Eckert appeared in court Nov. 10 for a bond hearing in the case. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing. An arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 10.

Prosecutors claim Eckert misappropriated funds from the church and falsified financial documents between April and October 2026. Court documents state Eckert allegedly provided church officials with 24 post-dated personal checks totaling $22,800 after questions came up about the church’s finances.