FBI Arrests Head Of Muncie Sanitary District, Local Businessman In Corruption Investigation

Unable to load the audio player.
You could try direct download?

Original story from Indiana Public Radio

Stephanie Wiechmann

Article origination Indiana Public Radio

Nikki Grigsby
*Muncie Sanitary District*

The FBI has arrested the head of the Muncie Sanitary District and a local businessman as part of a multi-year investigation into city government corruption.

Debra Nicole Grigsby, known locally as Nikki, is the District Administrator for the Muncie Sanitary District. She’s a longtime employee and has run the city department since 2013. Tony Franklin owns Franklin Building and Design LLC.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler says Grigsby used her authority to approve contractors to steer work to Franklin’s company, in exchange for kickbacks. They’ll face several federal charges, including wire fraud, making false statements, and falsification of documents in a federal investigation.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, both face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

The arrests were made the same day FBI agents searched the Muncie Sanitary District office inside City Hall and Grigsby’s private home.

Earlier this year, Muncie’s former building commissioner, Craig Nichols, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for money laundering and wire fraud. There are cases pending for another Muncie Sanitary District employee and two other Muncie-area businessmen.

Tags:Muncie

Support independent journalism today. You rely on WFYI to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Donate to power our nonprofit reporting today. Give now.

The Secret Service is investigating how a gunman who shot and injured Trump was able to get so close

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.

Public Affairs / July 2, 2024

GOP US Rep. Spartz, of Indiana, charged with bringing gun through airport security, officials say

Authorities say Indiana Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz has been charged with bringing a firearm through airport security. Airport officials said Monday she was charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. Spartz's office says she was traveling to Europe and mistakenly carried an unloaded handgun in the pocket of her suitcase while going through security at Washington Dulles International Airport. Spartz is a staunch Second Amendment Republican representing central Indiana. She won her primary in May after saying last year that she would retire from congress. The charge carries up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine if convicted.