Prosecutors on Thursday filed felony charges against a woman accused of working as an attorney in the Madison County Public Defender’s office, despite not having a law license.
Kelcie M. Miller, 26, was charged with false personation of an attorney, theft of more than $10,000 but less than $100,000 from a government entity, and forgery. The theft charge involves her pay, which was $57,000 annually. The forgery charge alleges that she presented a falsified attorney license to Chief Public Defender John Rekowski.
She was taken into custody at the Madison County jail where bond was set at $100,000.
Miller was hired in October. Rekowski said earlier this week that he fired Miller after learning that she wasn’t licensed. He said the matter was discovered when a court reporter, trying to find the spelling of Miller’s first name, searched for her license on the state’s Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission website.
Rekowski said Miller took the Illinois bar exam twice and failed both times. He said when he confronted Miller about not being licensed, she continued to maintain that she was an attorney.
Circuit Judge Richard Tognarelli set Miller’s bail at $100,000. It wasn’t immediately clear Thursday if Miller had been taken into custody. Attempts to reach her for comment have not been successful.
Rekowski said he didn’t ask to see Miller’s license because he’s never been lied to about it. He said Miller handled the disposition of about 80 cases, mostly low-level felonies, and that all of those defendants were being contacted, to discuss their options.
The most serious charge against Miller is the theft charge, a class 1 felony, which is generally punishable by up to 15 years in prison.