Henry County commissioner indicted on felony charge

Myers charged with having illegal interest in public contract

9/27/2012

NAPOLEON -- Henry County Commissioner Richard Myers has been indicted by a Henry County grand jury on a felony charge of having an illegal interest in a public contract.

Mr. Myers, a commissioner since 2007, allegedly “unlawfully caused” $300,000 in public funds to be paid to a Decatur, Ind. specialty car company. According to a news release from State Auditor Dave Yost, Mr. Myers also loaned personal funds to the project, signed a note for repayment, and arranged for other private investors, all while serving as a county commissioner on matters relating to the project.

“The people of Henry County want their $300,000 back -- and who can blame them?” Mr. Yost said in the news release. “It takes a special kind of arrogance to be this reckless with the taxpayer checkbook.”

Mr. Myers, who attended today’s county commissioner meeting, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The case is being handled by special prosecutor Robert Smith, assistant chief legal counsel for Mr. Yost.