Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Wednesday announced that multiple criminal charges had been filed against three government officials over their alleged involvement in the Flint water crisis. According to the Detroit Free Press, the charges consist of both felonies and misdemeanors related to manipulating and tampering with water tests results and misleading state and federal investigators who were trying to determine how Flint’s water system became tainted with toxic levels of lead. The charges were authorized by Michigan District Judge Tracy Collier-Nix.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) District Engineer Michael Prysby faces six counts, including two charges of misconduct in office, one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, one count of tampering with evidence, one count of engaging in a treatment violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act, and one count of engaging in a monitoring violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
Michigan DEQ Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance District Supervisor Stephen Busch faces five counts, including one count of misconduct in office, one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, one count of tampering with evidence, one count of engaging in a treatment violation that violates Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act, and one count of engaging in a monitoring violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
The City of Flint’s Water Quality Supervisor Michael Glasgow is facing two charges — one count each of willful neglect of office and tampering with evidence.
According to the Detroit News, the felony tampering charges against Prysby and Busch allege that they altered three lead water test reports between February and August 2015. The two are also charged in connection with the alleged refusal to require Flint to take certain actions that could have prevented lead entering the drinking water system. Glasgow is also alleged to have altered lead testing results.
A source familiar with the investigation told the Detroit News that today’s indictments are “the first of more to come,” according to the paper.
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