Phil Nichols and Jess Neal, Corruption, Indiana 2020

Phil Nichols and Jess Neal Indicted on Corruption-Related Charges

INDIANAPOLIS - In a shocking turn of events, Phil Nichols, the former Chairman for a political party in Delaware County, Indiana, and Jess Neal, a Sergeant for the Muncie Police Department, have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and witness tampering.

The indictment comes as part of a multi-year-long and ongoing investigation by the United States Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation into payment for public works projects in Muncie.

Nichols and Neal join defendants Debra Nicole Grigsby, the former District Administrator for the Muncie Sanitary District, and Tony Franklin, the owner of Franklin Building, and Design, LLC, Muncie, Indiana, who were initially indicted in July 2019 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, making false statements, and falsification of documents in a federal investigation.

The investigation has resulted in the following federal cases:

United States v. Craig Nichols, 17-CR-0021-TWP-DML

United States v. Tracy Barton, 18-CR-284-JMS-DLP

United States v. Jeff Burke, 18-CR-285-SEB-DLP

United States v. Rodney Barber, 19-CR-190-JMS-DML

United States. v. Debra Nicole Grigsby and Tony Franklin, 19-CR-231 JRS-DLP

Nichols, 73, and Neal, 53, of Muncie, Indiana, were arrested Thursday morning and will have their initial appearance Thursday afternoon in the federal courthouse in Indianapolis.

“Public servants need to serve the public instead of serving themselves,” said Minkler. “When someone betrays the public’s trust by stealing tax dollars for personal enrichment, my office will identify, investigate and, if the evidence supports a charge, prosecute the individual who violates that sacred trust.”

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston who is prosecuting this case for the government, Nichols and Neal face up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted of all charges.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All parties are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.

In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prosecuting large- scale fraud schemes that warrant federal resources and arrest those who abuse their positions of trust.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/phil-nichols-and-jess-neal-muncie-indiana-indicted-corruption-related-charges