EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — The former director of the East St. Louis Public Library is facing federal charges after prosecutors said she made more than $10,000 worth of personal transactions using library funds.
In an indictment filed on Aug. 20, a federal grand jury returned five charges of wire fraud and two charges of theft from federally funded programs against Kenyada T. Harris.
According to the indictment, Harris had access to the library's bank account and a credit card as part of her role as director. In the indictment, prosecutors allege she used that bank account for her own use multiple times in the last two years.
The alleged wire fraud occurred when she used the credit card for repairs to her personal car and for cash advances.
- July 31, 2023 - She allegedly used the card to pay $1,409.85 for repairs to her personal car at a Dobbs Tire and Auto Center on Camp Jackson Road.
- Jan. 17, 2024 - She allegedly used the credit card to get a $2,500 cash advance from Bank of America in O'Fallon, Illinois.
- Jan. 31, 2024 - She allegedly used the credit card to get a $3,500 cash advance at the same Bank of America location.
- March 7, 2024 - She allegedly used the credit card to get a $5,000 cash advance from Bank of America in Belleville, Illinois.
- April 6, 2024 - She returned to the Bank of America in O'Fallon to get another $4,000 cash advance using the library credit card.
In the description of the theft from federally funded programs charges, prosecutors allege Harris "knowingly embezzled, stole, converted, obtained by fraud, and misapplied" more than $5,000 from the library system in both 2023 and 2024, but the indictment does not provide specifics.
5 On Your Side first reported on the allegations in June, when Harris resigned. At that time, she was being investigated by the FBI and the library board, according to a leader in the library system that asked not to be named due to the nature of the investigation.
Library leadership said they will be making changes. The library remains open.
"We are on the right track and will have a handle on this," the library leader told 5 On Your Side in June. "We've received two grants to implement after school programs, a podcast studio about to kick to off to talk about the good news in East St. Louis."