Police chief’s wife admits defrauding ex-employer

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — The wife of a southwestern Illinois police chief faces up to a year and nine months in federal prison now that she’s admitted defrauding a former employer of as much as $120,000.

The Belleville News-Democrat (http://bit.ly/TYL0xN) reports that sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 25 in East St. Louis for 38-year-old Amy Shelby, the spouse of Madison Police Chief Steven Shelby.

Amy Shelby admitted defrauding Oakmont Mini Storage in Granite City of $70,000 to $120,000 between 2006 and May 2010 by using an improperly obtained commercial credit card in the business’ name. Authorities say she used that card for personal items and for her own credit card bills.

Shelby also faces as much as $40,000 in fines.

Her husband isn’t speaking publicly about the case, calling it “a private issue.”