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Former Treasurer of Perry Co. Agricultural Society Indicted for Fraud

The former treasurer of the Perry County Agricultural Society is under federal indictment for defrauding the organization out of more than 100-thousand dollars.

The U.S. attorney's office says 47-year-old Billy Harris is charged with ten counts of mail fraud.

The Perry County Agricultural Society operates all the festivals at the Perry County Fairground in Pinckneyville, including the county fair.

The indictment claims between 2012 and 2018, Harris used the ag society's bank account to pay his personal expenses and purchase items for his personal use. These included a WiFi router, Apple AirPods, a Himalyan salt lamp air purifier and a pair of Star Wars men's sleep pants.

Harris is also charged with writing checks on the ag society's account payable to himself and his spouse and forgoing a board member's signature on the checks.

He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Monday. If convicted, Harris faces up to 20 years in prison.

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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