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'Very rarely granted': Bloomington couple acquitted for felony theft by deception

Three people sit in a recording studio and smile for the camera. Microphones can be seen on the table in front of them and a monitor on the wall in the background advertises WGLT and The Vidette media outlets.
Melissa Ellin
/
WGLT
From left, defense attorney Bryan McIntyre, Jadeyn Lacey and Cassandra Lacey in the WGLT studios.

A McLean County judge has acquitted a Bloomington couple accused of Class 2 felony theft, court transcripts and public records show. The decision came before any formal trial, known as a directed verdict.

Defense attorney Bryan McIntyre pointed out these are “very rarely granted.” They’re used when there’s little to no evidence of a crime.

The case launched in spring 2023 when Blueze Wellness, a natural medicine center on Washington Street in Bloomington, accused Jadeyn and Cassandra Lacey of spending around $16,000 in company funds without permission.

The Laceys’ role in the wellness center is at the heart of the legal dispute.

The Laceys — both registered nurses — claimed innocence, and in November, a judge agreed.

“In this case, the judge said that the money in question belonged to Jadeyn,” McIntyre said. “I know these two are innocent, and so I'm thrilled that the directed verdict was granted as it should have been.”

Jadeyn and Cassandra Lacey said they got involved with Blueze Wellness when the center approached them in 2023 about starting an infusion center, a facility that offers medication through intravenous infusion. The Laceys had experience and saw the offer as an opportunity to branch out in Bloomington-Normal, where they had recently moved.

As a joint venture, the Laceys and Blueze Wellness started an IV program, which is no longer listed as a service on the wellness center’s site. There was no formal paperwork and the way Jadeyn Lacey describes it, he, his wife and Blueze “were operating and under the understanding that we were all business partners.” Court transcripts show Blueze Wellness saw things differently.

For roughly three months, Jadeyn and Cassandra were asked by Blueze leadership to operate the infusion center as volunteers, court transcripts show, because Blueze didn’t have an official license. Texts shared in court show all parties agreed.

Blueze later denied entering any such agreement and argued that money Jadeyn spent in those months to operate the clinic, as well as any client money, belonged to Blueze. Ultimately, Blueze leadership accused the couple of theft.

In the verdict, Judge Amy McFarland outlined the ordeal as a misguided business venture and a misunderstanding.

“There’s no way that the court can find or that any reasonable jury could find that the evidence was sufficient to show any intent to permanently deprive anyone, or that it was even owned by the business,” McFarland said of Jadeyn’s charges, according to court transcripts. Cassandra was acquitted on the first day of a hearing and Jadeyn on the second.

As the Laceys try to find their footing again and remain in the Bloomington-Normal community, Cassandra Lacey said she hopes by “getting our story out there, that other people will come forward, and other nurses will stand up and not allow doctors to take advantage of them.”

WGLT reached out to Blueze Wellness and CEO Chantel Webb replied via email that her lawyer advised them not to give media statements. She did not respond to a follow-up question about why.

Melissa Ellin is a reporter at WGLT and a Report for America corps member, focused on mental health coverage.