A district judge sentenced Kenyada T. Harris, former director of the East St. Louis Public Library, to 15 months in prison after she admitted on Apr. 28 to embezzling more than $100,000 from her government employers.
Harris, age 42, pleaded guilty in March to eight counts including wire fraud, theft from federally funded programs, and bank fraud. After serving her prison sentence, Harris will be under supervised release for two years and must pay $102,249 in restitution.
"Those who abuse a position of trust and steal taxpayer funds must be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. "Public resources belong to the community, not to those who believe they are above the law."
Court documents show that between March 2022 and March 2023 Harris worked as a Public Aid Eligibility Assistant at the St. Clair County Family Community Resource Center through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). In this role she was responsible for issuing LINK cards intended for low-income customers needing food and cash assistance benefits but instead used these cards herself or provided them to family members and friends. Records indicate Harris used 98 different cards for personal gain during this period resulting in losses exceeding $10,000 for IDHS.
"Kenyada Harris abused the public’s trust with decisions she made to help herself to money belonging to others," said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. "Her 15-month prison sentence represents the collective effort of several law enforcement agencies committed to bringing fraudsters to justice and holding them accountable."
In March 2023 Harris began working as Library Director at East St. Louis City Library where from July that year through June of the following year she used a library credit card for personal purchases including vehicle repairs and cash advances totaling nearly $92,000 in losses.
"Public service is a privilege, not an opportunity for self-enrichment," said FBI Springfield Field Office's Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. "By diverting funds meant for essential library services and food assistance, the defendant prioritized her personal interests over the needs of her neighbors. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure public resources remain in the hands of citizens they are intended to serve."
The investigation was led by FBI Springfield’s Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force along with IRS Criminal Investigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted.
On April 7th prior this sentencing announcement, The Department of Justice announced creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division dedicated toward investigating misuse or theft involving taxpayer dollars—a mission aligned with President Trump’s Task Force chaired by Vice President J.D Vance aiming at eliminating fraud within federal benefit programs.
