(WXYZ) — Nine former public officials have been indicted on a total of 42 counts related to the Flint water crisis.
RELATED: Timeline: View the major events of the Flint water crisis
The following defendants were charged by Michigan Solicitor General Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy as part of the criminal investigation into the Flint water crisis:
- Jarrod Agen – Former Director of Communications and Former Chief of Staff, Executive Office of Gov. Rick Snyder
- One count of perjury – a 15-year felony
- Gerald Ambrose – Former City of Flint Emergency Manager
- Four counts of misconduct in office – each a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- Richard Baird – Former Transformation Manager and Senior Adviser, Executive Office of Gov. Snyder
- One count of perjury – a 15-year felony
- One count of official misconduct in office – a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- One count of obstruction of justice – a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- One count of extortion – a 20-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- Howard Croft – Former Director of the City of Flint Department of Public Works
- Two counts of willful neglect of duty – each a one-year misdemeanor and/or $1,000 fine
- Darnell Earley – Former City of Flint Emergency Manager
- Three counts of misconduct in office – each a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- Nicolas Lyon – Former Director, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Nine counts of involuntary manslaughter – each a 15-year felony and/or $7,500 fine
- One count of willful neglect of duty – a one-year misdemeanor and/or $1,000 fine
- Nancy Peeler – Current Early Childhood Health Section Manager, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Two counts of misconduct in office – each a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- One count of willful neglect of duty – a one-year misdemeanor and/or $1,000 fine
- Richard Snyder – Former Governor of Michigan
- Two counts of willful neglect of duty – each a one-year misdemeanor and/or $1,000 fine
- Eden Wells – Former Chief Medical Executive, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Nine counts of involuntary manslaughter – each a 15-year felony and/or $7,500 fine
- Two counts of misconduct in office – each a five-year felony and/or $10,000 fine
- One count of willful neglect of duty – a one-year misdemeanor and/or $1,000 fine
The defendants turned themselves in and were arraigned Thursday.
The prosecution team says it sought and obtained indictments based on evidence that could be proven in court. Status, position or political affiliation of a defendant are not factors in the charges sought. Furthermore, charges were not pursued unless the evidence and law supported it.
Due to the secrecy provisions over the grand jury proceedings, officials cannot discuss the evidence underlying the charges.
“When an entire city is victimized by the negligence and indifference of those in power, it deserves an uncompromising investigation that holds to account anyone who is criminally culpable. That is what all residents in this state are entitled to, regardless of their ZIP code. And that is what this prosecution team did. Our approach was simple—where we believed the evidence would prove a criminal charge, we sought and obtained indictments for those crimes,” Hammoud said in a press release. “We must remember that the Flint water crisis is not some relic of the past. At this very moment, the people of Flint continue to suffer from the categorical failure of public officials at all levels of government, who trampled upon their trust, and evaded accountability for far too long. We understand that our work is not done and although the criminal justice system alone cannot remedy all the suffering that every person endured, we took our part seriously. We hope others will do the same to ensure this never, ever happens again.”
In April 2014, the water supply reaching thousands of homes, schools and businesses within the City of Flint was switched from water sourced from Lake Huron to the Flint River. As a result of that switch, the Flint Water Crisis quickly became an ongoing public health crisis that has left a lasting impact on thousands of Flint residents. By early 2016, then-Gov. Snyder declared a State of Emergency in Genesee County and an investigation was launched by a private law firm – appointed by then-Attorney General Bill Schuette – that was then designated as the former Office of Special Counsel.
In late 2018, Attorney General Dana Nessel was elected and upon taking office in 2019, she made decisions to put a conflict wall in place to ensure the criminal investigation and civil litigation following the Flint Water Crisis were conducted by completely separate teams. Nessel decided to lead the civil litigation team. The AG's office says the OSC was an unnecessary cost to taxpayers and was no longer needed, and Hammoud and Worthy were tapped to lead the criminal investigation.
Citing "grave concerns" about the investigative approach and legal theories embraced by the former OSC – particularly regarding the pursuit of evidence, Hammoud and Worthy announced in June 2019 the dismissal without prejudice of all pending criminal charges previously brought by the OSC. The AG's office says this allowed them to move forward in conducting a "thorough, methodical and ethical investigation."
