EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — A former southern Illinois assistant public defender who practiced without a law license has been charged with theft of government property.
Kelcie Miller was working in the Madison County Public Defender’s office when she was fired. The theft charge stems from the salary and benefits Miller collected while working in the public defender’s office from October until May.
The 26-year-old Miller is also charged with forgery for presenting Public Defender John Rekowski with a fake Illinois Attorney Registration Card that stated she was active and authorized to practice law. She is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately known if Miller has legal representation.
Rekowski says he learned Miller was unlicensed after a judge tried to look her up on a directory to confirm the spelling of her first name for a court reporter. Miller wasn’t listed.
Rekowski says none of the approximately 80 cases Miller worked on went to trial.
