Man Facing 12 Felony Theft Cases Released Under SAFE-T Act Rules

A Crystal Lake man accused in a string of theft cases across northern Illinois was released from custody Thursday after appearing in McHenry County court, despite facing a dozen felony charges filed since last summer.

The new cases bring the total number of felony theft cases filed against Jordan Pena, 32, to 12 since July 2025, according to prosecutors.

Pena previously was convicted of felony retail theft in McHenry County in December 2025 and again in Kane County in January 2026. Since the January conviction, prosecutors say 10 additional felony theft cases have been filed against him across five counties — McHenry, Lake, Winnebago, Cook and Kane.

Authorities said Pena also has an earlier criminal history. Records show he was arrested 13 times between 2014 and 2022, resulting in convictions in each case, including two felonies.

Despite that history, prosecutors said they were legally barred from requesting pretrial detention under the state’s bail reform law.

Under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, prosecutors cannot seek detention and judges cannot order it for certain offenses, including felony theft and burglary. Because of those restrictions, Pena’s prior convictions and multiple pending felony cases did not qualify him for detention while awaiting trial.

“This case highlights a serious gap in our current law,” state's attorney Randi Freese said in a statement. “An individual with a demonstrated pattern of repeated felony conduct, spanning multiple jurisdictions, is not eligible for pretrial detention under the SAFE-T Act.”

Pena is scheduled to appear in court again May 14 in McHenry County.