Ford Heights officials and employees charged with 79 felonies
Eleven current and former elected officials and staffers in the village are facing a total of 79 felony counts for allegedly using public dollars for airfare, hotels, and spending excursions in Las Vegas and Indiana.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office announced charges Friday against 11 current and former Ford Heights officials and employees after they allegedly used public dollars to bankroll lavish private trips.
The 79 felony counts include theft of governmental property and official misconduct. The defendants allegedly schemed to use public funds on airfare, hotel accommodations, and lavish spending on private vacations in Las Vegas, Nevada and Michigan City, Indiana.
Former and current officials charged are:
- Ford Heights trustee James E. Morgan, 48
- Ford Heights trustee Johnny A. Griffin, 67
- Ford Heights village clerk Nyree D. Ford, 53
- Former Ford Heights mayor Annie R. Coulter, 74
- Former Ford Heights village trustee Scottie L. Hatten, 38
- Former Ford Heights village trustee LaDell L. Jones, 61
- Former Ford Heights village Antoina T. McMichales, 56
Others charged include:
- Antone Adams, 59, of Chicago Heights
- Allis Franklin, 78, of Ford Heights
- Mary Matthews Graziano, 65, of Ford Heights
- Dedra D. Lee, 65, of Ford Heights
“Elected officials and civil servants are rightfully held to a higher standard, making it especially egregious when someone in power intentionally steals from the taxpayers they are supposed to be serving,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said.
“I would like to thank the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the hardworking investigators in my office for their work and dedication in investigating this case.”
The county sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at the Ford Heights Municipal Hall on Ellis Ave. Thursday, Sept. 24. Charges were announced the next day. The defendants are to be arraigned Sept. 30. Public Integrity Bureau Deputy Chief Jonas Hargar and Assistant Attorney General Nemura Pencyla will be prosecuting the cases.
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