Warrick County Commissioners arrested for misconduct
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All three Warrick County Commissioners have been arrested on multiple charges, including official misconduct, Indiana State Police said Thursday.
The arrests stem from an investigation into misappropriated funds at Warrick County Animal Control.
“We were truly blindsided by this,” attorney Anthony Long, who is representing the commissioners, told Inside INdiana Business.
According to a news release, State Police arrested Danielle Barnes, a supervisor at Warrick County Animal Control who also operated a not-for-profit organization called Warrick Animal Guardian, or WAG, on Dec 13, 2023.
After Barnes’ arrest, detectives received information that Warrick County Commissioners Terry Phillippe, 54, of Booneville; Dan Saylor, 59, of Newburgh; and Robert Johnson, 62, of Tennyson, had no knowledge of WAG or any documents concerning the organization.
However, State Police said detectives later discovered that a donation of a mobile trailer to Warrick County Animal Control from WAG was accepted by the commissioners on Jan. 9, 2023.
Additionally, the commissioners held a public press conference on Feb. 1, 2024 during which they stated they had received limited documentation from the Warrick County Health Board regarding Barnes’ conduct between Dec. 1-4, 2023. The detectives later learned the commissioners had allegedly been investigating Barnes for months.
State Police also allege that the commissioners instructed the health board to reopen a swimming pool and several restaurants it had previously closed last summer due to failed health inspections. Officials allege the owners of the pool and restaurants were friends and business associates of the commissioners.
The health board ignored the commissioners’ orders, and the board’s supervisor was terminated for allegedly doing so, as well as cooperating with Indiana State Police in its investigation of the misappropriated funds at Warrick County Animal Control.
Perry County Prosecutor Samantha Hurst filed criminal charges against the commissioners. All three each face a Level 6 Felony charge of official misconduct and a Class A Misdemeanor charge of false informing. Phillippe also faces a Level 6 Felony charge of perjury.
Long told IIB on Thursday evening he had not had a chance to fully read the probable cause affidavit charging the commissioners and would not comment further on the charges.
Long did note that he is representing the commissioners individually on this case and is not representing the county. He also represented the commissioners on their testimony in a separate case involving the removal of three members of the Warrick County Health Board.
The commissioners turned themselves in at the Warrick County Jail and were released after posting bond. An initial court appearance has been scheduled for Feb. 16.
Indiana State Police said the investigation is ongoing and no further information will be released at this time. A call to the commissioners’ office was not immediately returned Thursday.