Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-East St. Louis librarian sentenced for fraud, theft

Illinois Quick Hits: Ex-East St. Louis librarian sentenced for fraud, theft

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – The former director of the East St. Louis public library has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $102,249 in restitution after she pleaded guilty to embezzling money from the library and from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Kenyada T. Harris, 42, pleaded guilty in March 2026.

Prosecutors say Harris used the library’s credit card for her personal gain and used LINK cards for herself, family members and friends while she was employed at the St. Clair County Family Community Resource Center.

FOREIGN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO FIRING SHOTS NEAR BORDER PATROL AGENTS IN CHICAGO

A Mexican citizen who was in the United States illegally has pleaded guilty to a federal firearm charge after prosecutors said he fired shots near U.S. Border Patrol agents in Chicago in November.

Hector Gomez, 46, had previously been convicted of a felony firearm offense in Cook County and was prohibited under federal law from possessing a gun.

Sentencing is July 20.

SIX MEN INDICTED FOR WINNETKA HOME INVASION

A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted six men on robbery and kidnapping offenses after an alleged home invasion in Winnetka last month.

Government attorneys say the men forcibly entered the residence, used firearms to keep an individual captive for about an hour, and demanded access to a safe and access to online accounts holding cryptocurrency.

Charges are forthcoming against a seventh defendant.

REPORT: BEARS ARE SIXTH-PRICIEST SPORTS TEAM FOR FANS

A report says the Chicago Bears are the sixth most expensive sports team in the world for fans to follow.

ForesightSports.com examined yearly expenses for tickets, stadium food and drinks, streaming subscriptions and jerseys. The annual total for Bears fans came in at $3,009.

The New York Knicks topped the list at $4,274, followed by the Detroit Lions at $4,011. The report said major league ticket prices are up 25% over the last three years.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Will County Board Graphic.02

Executive Committee Advances Dissolution of Southeast Joliet Sanitary District

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | January 8, 2026 Article Summary: The Executive Committee moved forward with two resolutions to facilitate the dissolution of the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District...
Will County Board Graphic.01

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Legislative Committee for January 6, 2026

Will County Board Legislative Committee Meeting | January 6, 2026 Overall Meeting SummaryThe Will County Board Legislative Committee met on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to finalize the county’s state and...
Medical device manufacturer invests $110M to expand Nebraska plant, boost drug supply

Medical device manufacturer invests $110M to expand Nebraska plant, boost drug supply

By Tom JoyceThe Center Square A major American medical device manufacturer is investing $110 million to expand production in Nebraska as part of an effort to restore pharmaceutical manufacturing and...
WATCH: U.S.ambassadors stress Greenland's importance

WATCH: U.S.ambassadors stress Greenland’s importance

By Dave MasonThe Center Square America is crucial to the defense of Greenland, which in turn is vital to protecting NATO, according to four U.S. ambassadors who expressed optimism about...
Chicago council considers 'not a tax' surcharge on hotels

Chicago council considers ‘not a tax’ surcharge on hotels

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Chicago’s city council is considering a new assessment on hotel stays that supporters say would raise about...
Govt. funding process advances as three more bills to become law; six remain

Govt. funding process advances as three more bills to become law; six remain

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the U.S. Senate sending a roughly $180 billion funding package to the president’s desk Thursday, Congress has now knocked out half of the annual...
Bankers push back on Trump's plan to reduce swipe fees, cap interest rates

Bankers push back on Trump’s plan to reduce swipe fees, cap interest rates

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Banks are pushing back against renewed efforts to cap interest rates for consumers, after President Donald Trump endorsed the move as he seeks to show...
State lawmaker calls for hearings on banning Sharia law in Texas

State lawmaker calls for hearings on banning Sharia law in Texas

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square A Texas lawmaker is calling for the state legislature to hold hearings on actions the legislature can take to ban Sharia law in the state....
U.S. to build nuclear reactor on Moon by 2030, cost unknown

U.S. to build nuclear reactor on Moon by 2030, cost unknown

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 to prepare for future missions to Mars. The National Aeronautics and Space...
WATCH: Gov. Polis calls out Republicans in State of the State

WATCH: Gov. Polis calls out Republicans in State of the State

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his last State of the State to a joint session of the Colorado General Assembly on Thursday. In his speech,...
Republican senators introduce bill to address childcare, immigration fraud

Republican senators introduce bill to address childcare, immigration fraud

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square U.S. senators, led by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, have introduced a bill to amend federal law to address federally funded childcare provider fraud. The...
More than $1 billion spent on noncitizen hospital costs in fiscal 2025

More than $1 billion spent on noncitizen hospital costs in fiscal 2025

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Taxpayer-funded medical costs for noncitizens at Texas hospitals totaled more than $1 billion last year, according to newly released state data. The data spans ten...

IL Senate GOP: Pritzker, not Trump, raised power bills

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Senate Republicans say Gov. J.B. Pritzker is wrong to blame President Donald Trump for high electric...
SC weighs whether Amazon must pay workers for mandatory COVID screenings

SC weighs whether Amazon must pay workers for mandatory COVID screenings

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Supreme Court is considering whether Amazon must compensate warehouse workers for time spent waiting...
Federal judge allows New York wind project to proceed

Federal judge allows New York wind project to proceed

By Chris WadeThe Center Square A federal judge has given a green light for construction to resume on New York's largest offshore wind project that was abruptly shut down by...