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3 Indiana county commissioners arrested for official misconduct

All three commissioners arrested in Indiana county

BOONVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — All three Warrick County commissioners were arrested Thursday following an Indiana State Police investigation.

State police on Thursday announced the arrest of the commissioners official misconduct and false informing charges: 62-year old Robert H. Johnson Jr., 54-year old Terry Phillippe, and 59-year old Dan Saylor. Phillippe is also accused of perjury.

The arrests stemmed from an investigation of misappropriated funds at the Warrick County Animal Control run by Danielle Barnes. Barnes has already been charged in that case.

The commissioners are accused of instructing the county health department to reopen several restaurants and a pool after they had been closed for failed health inspections. They also are accused of firing the supervisor when he refused.

State police say the owners were allegedly friends and business associates of the commissioners.

Arrest warrants were issued for the three on Thursday in Warrick Superior Court 2. Initial hearings are set for 9 a.m. Feb. 16.

All three were booked into the Warrick County jail. They later each posted a $500 bond, said a statement from their attorney.

Anthony Long, attorney for the commissioners, said in a statement: “The Commissioners do not believe they did anything incorrectly during this investigation, and worked diligently to address problems at Animal Control. They are anxious to review the probable cause affidavit and they look forward to having light shed on this situation. Terry Phillipe, Robert Johnson and Dan Saylor are dedicated public servants who work tirelessly to improve life for citizens in Warrick County, and we look forward to and expect their complete exoneration.”

Long says he instructed the commissioners will not to comment about the charges.

Warrick County sits on the Ohio River west of Evansville.

This story was created in part from a script aired on WISH-TV. Below are the jail booking photos from the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office of (from left) Robert H. Johnson Jr., Terry Phillippe, and Dan Saylor.