Man used Perry County Fair funds to buy Star Wars PJs, ‘beard lube,’ indictment alleges

The former treasurer of the Perry County Agricultural Society has been indicted in federal court on charges he defrauded the organization out of more than $100,000.

Billy E. Harris, 47, faces 10 counts of mail fraud for allegedly using the PCAS checking account to cover personal expenses, according to court documents.

PCAS organizes and operates events at the fairgrounds in Pinckneyville, including the annual Perry County Fair.

According to the indictment, from June 5, 2012, through October 3, 2018, Harris used the organization’s funds to purchase items for his personal use, including a WiFi router, Apple AirPods, a Himalyan salt lamp air purifier, Darth Vader and Yoda personalized pet tags, a pair of Star Wars men’s sleep pants, a floating pool fountain, a CPAP tube cleaning brush, and “beard lube.”

Many of the items were purchased through Amazon, the indictment alleges.

Harris, who currently resides in St. Louis, also is accused of writing checks from the PCAS account payable to himself and his spouse.

Harris is scheduled to make his first appearance in the U.S. Court of for the Southern District of Illinois on July 19.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. The St. Louis Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Pinckneyville Police Department

are investigating the case, with assistance from the Perry County State’s Attorney’s Office.