The state employees facing charges in connection with the Flint water crisis.
Six current and former state employees are facing criminal charges in connection with the Flint water crisis. Four, who are still employed, have been suspended, according to a joint statement issued today by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Former chief of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance
Charges: One felony count of misconduct in office, which carries a penalty of five years in prison and/or $10,000 and one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty, according to a news release from Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office.
Allegations: It’s alleged that despite notice from citizens about water quality and being aware of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, Shekter Smith “not only allegedly failed to take corrective action or notify public health officials but, in fact took steps to mislead and conceal evidence from health officials in phone calls revealed by the investigation, ” the release says.
Work status: Fired
MDEQ water quality analyst
Charges: Three felony charges — one count of misconduct in office, which carries a penalty of five years in prison and/or $10,000; one count of tampering with evidence, which carries a penalty of four years and/or $5,000; and conspiracy — tampering with evidence, which carries a penalty of four years and/or $10,000. He is also facing a misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of duty.
Allegations: It’s alleged that Rosenthal “was warned by Flint Water Treatment Plant officials that they were not ready for operations and was later warned by the EPA that high levels of lead is usually due to particulate lead, signaling a corrosion problem, ” the news release from the Attorney General’s Office says. He is accused of participating in the manipulation of lead testing results.
Work status: Suspended without pay
► Related: Flint water emails written to stay secret
MDEQ specialist for the Community Drinking Water Unit
Charges: One felony count each of misconduct in office and conspiracy, both of which carry penalties of five years in prison and/or $10,000; and one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty.
Allegations: It’s alleged that Cook was aware of water problems in Flint, “but allegedly took no corrective action in his duty to ensure the provision of clean, safe drinking water in Flint” and also is accused of misleading the Environmental Protection Agency about the necessity of using corrosion control treatments, the release from the Attorney General’s Office says.
Work status: Suspended without pay
► Related: Investigator says workers changed reports, hid data in Flint water crisis
► Related: Schuette says state employees ignored warning flags
► Complete coverage: Flint water crisis
Director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services program for maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting
Charges: One felony count each of misconduct in office and conspiracy, both of which carry penalties of five years in prison and/or $10,000; and one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty.
Allegations: It’s alleged that Peeler requested a report on blood lead level data on Flint children, but the report — created in July 2015 and showing a spike in blood lead tests for Flint children — was “buried, ” the news release from the Attorney General’s Office says. It’s alleged that Peeler and another health department employee, Robert Scott, created another report that “falsely indicated no statistically significant rise in blood lead levels of children in the summer of 2014, ” according to the release.
Work status: Suspended without pay
Data manager for the MDHHS Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention program
Charges: One felony count each of misconduct in office and conspiracy, both of which carry penalties of five years in prison and/or $10,000; and one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty.
Allegations: It’s alleged that Scott, along with Peeler, created a report that “falsely indicated no statistically significant rise in blood lead levels of children in the summer of 2014, ” the Attorney General’s Office news release says.
Work status: Suspended without pay
Former director of the Bureau of Epidemiology and State Epidemiologist
Charges: One felony count each of misconduct in office and conspiracy, both of which carry penalties of five years in prison and/or $10,000; and one misdemeanor count of willful neglect of duty.
Allegations: It’s alleged that Miller received a first report regarding blood lead levels in Flint children, “but instructed others not to take action, rebuffing other employees who asked about next steps of action, ” the news release says. “The charges allege that Miller later instructed another MDHHS employee to delete e-mails concerning the original blood lead data report from July 28,2015.”
Work status: No longer with MDHSS
