Lake County Employee Accused of Stealing Fuel Faces Charges

By AMIE SCHAENZER (Patch Staff)

A 21-year-old Lake County Department of Public Works employee has been fired and now faces charges for stealing fuel from the county over several months, police said.

Dwayne T. Kenner of Zion is charged with one count of felony theft of government property -- a Class F felony -- after a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy witnessed him filling up a vehicle on May 2 with fuel at the County of Lake fuel terminal on Winchester Road in Libertyville, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The deputy determined the vehicle was his girlfriend’s and not an authorized Lake County vehicle, according to the news release.

Keener is accused of stealing fuel from the Department of Transportation fuel station between October 2014 and January 2015 when he was an intern. He was hired as a full-time employee in March and is accused of stealing gas until shortly before his termination on May 4, police said.

He filled up the vehicles of parents, girlfriend and a friend with county fuel, police.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on May 8 and Keener surrendered to Lake County detectives on May 13. He is next expected in court Thursday morning and is currently in custody at the Lake County jail on a $50,000 bond.

More charges are possible pending the results of an audit by the Lake County Department of Transportation.