Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed criminal charges against two state officials and a city employee involved in the Flint water crisis on Wednesday. The statewide investigation into the Michigan city came after revelations the drinking water became contaminated with lead in April 2014, while under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager. State officials detached Flint from Detroit’s water supply and began using Flint River water in an effort to save money.A criminal investigation began in January 2016 and more officials could still face charges.Here is what you need to know about the 3 individuals indicted:
Mike Glasgow, 40 — A former supervisor at the Flint treatment plant who now serves as the city's utilities administrator, is charged with tampering of evidence and willful neglect of duty as a public officer, reports CNN. Glasgow faces up to four years in prison on the tampering with evidence charge, which is a felony.
He is also accused of failing to perform the duties of a certified water treatment plant operator, which led to the willful neglect charge, the Detroit Free Press reports. Glasgow is still an employee of the city as of Wednesday morning.
Stephen Busch, 40 — tBusch, the Lansing district coordinator for the state Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, engaging in a treatment violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act and engaging in a monitoring violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. Busch faces up to five years in prison on the felony misconduct in office charge, according to Heavy.com The other charges are misdemeanors. In January, he was suspended for his role in the crisis.
Mike Prysby, 53 — Prysby, of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, is charged with two counts of misconduct in office, and one count each of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, engaging in a treatment violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act and engaging in a monitoring violation that violates the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to the Detroit Free Press he faces up to five years in prison on the misconduct in office charges, which are felonies. Prysby allegedly authorized a permit for the Flint Water Treatment Plant when he knew it was “deficient in its ability to provide clean and safe drinking water,” according to the complaint. Recently he was moved to a new position, in the transportation and flood hazard unit of the Department of Environmental Quality, the Free Press reported.
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