About Sarah

Sarah Gallagher Chami is a wife, mother and career prosecutor. She was an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County, the largest prosecutor’s office in the country. She is currently working in the Turner Law Office in Sycamore, Il.

Born and raised in Sycamore, Sarah is the fifth generation of Gallaghers in DeKalb County. Her Great-Great Grandparents, Thomas and Sarah Gallagher, settled in DeKalb County in the late 1850s. As a graduate of Sycamore High School Sarah went on to attend DePaul University on an Honors Scholarship. She graduated from DePaul University with a double major in political science and public relations. Sarah earned her law degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law. She served on committees such as Women in Law and became a finalist in the Charles Evans Hughes Moot Court Competition.

For her entire legal career Sarah has been a public prosecutor, including law clerk in Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office in the Domestic Violence Unit, law clerk to the Cook County Special Prosecutor in the John Burge police torture investigation, and a 7/11 clerk in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office trying major drug cases in the Cook County Criminal Courts. While in her capacity as an Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah handled thousands of child support enforcement cases and negotiations for the Illinois Department of Public Aid.

A letter from friend and colleague, Lori Imes

Sarah joined the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in 2005. Since then she has tried and won numerous criminal trials. Sarah served as the Supervisor of the Preliminary Hearing and Grand Jury Unit for District 4. Sarah was responsible for reviewing thousands of felony cases from simple thefts up to criminal sexual assaults, armed robberies and murders. She was then responsible for taking these matters to hearing or presenting the cases before the Cook County Grand Jury. Sarah has been involved in handling high profile murder cases before the Grand Jury, as recently as the Mya Lyons homicide.

Elie Chami is a graduate of DeKalb High School and completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University. Elie currently works for the Plexus Groupe. Sarah and Elie have two beautiful children Michael and Norah.

Sarah Gallagher Chami is an experienced and dedicated career prosecutor with a breath of experience and looks forward to serving the citizens of DeKalb County.

The primary election on Tuesday, February 2nd is an important day.  The voters of Dekalb County will have an opportunity to select the candidate they would like to see as their State’s Attorney in the November general election.  I encourage voters to support Sarah Gallagher Chami as your choice.  Sarah brings the intelligence, dedication and experience necessary to be the chief law enforcement officer of the county.

Sarah has been a criminal prosecutor for her entire legal career.   She is committed to ensuring that all victims of crime are represented well.  Sarah is experienced in the prosecution of domestic violence and crimes against children.  She is particularly concerned about the impact that violence and substance abuse has on the youth of our communities.  The use of the internet and electronic means by criminals has created ever new challenges to law enforcement.  Sarah will work closely with all law enforcement, social service, and mental health agencies and to utilize the most innovative and effective methods of intervention and technology available.

I have spent my entire professional career in the fields of mental health and family and child welfare.  I know Sarah will be a strong advocate for the most vulnerable of our crime victims. When we are able to intervene in a family or child’s life early to stop a pattern of trouble with the legal system, we help those individuals toward being productive community members.  Secondarily, we are saving money at the local and state levels.

Sarah Gallagher Chami will make an outstanding State’s Attorney.  She is smart, strong and looking forward to being your State’s Attorney.  Support Sarah by taking a Democratic ballot on February 2nd and casting a vote for the next State’s Attorney of DeKalb County.

Lori Imes
DeKalb, IL
815-756-2813