Ex-East St. Louis library director faces wire fraud, theft charges

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The former director of the East St. Louis Public Library is being charged in federal court after using library funds for wire fraud and theft.

According to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Kenyada T. Harris used over $16,400 in library funds for personal purchases and cash advances between July 2023 and April 2024.

Harris used a city-owned credit card that was meant for “incidental expenses of official business,” and concealed these purchases through false statements and forged receipts for a personal automotive repair, according to court records.

On July 31, 2023, court documents explain Harris used the city-owned credit card at Dobbs Tire & Auto Center in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, to pay for $1,409.85 in personal automotive repairs.

She used the card again on four other separate occasions to obtain a total of $15,000 in cash advances from Bank of America locations in O’Fallon and Belleville, Illinois, according to court documents.

According to our partners at the Post-Dispatch , Harris resigned from her position in June after being hired just a year prior in June 2023 with a yearly salary of $87,000.

Following federal sentencing guidelines, she could face a maximum of 20 years in prison and additional fines.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.