Flint Water Crisis: Snyder, 8 Others Charged In AG Investigation

FLINT, MI — Former Gov. Rick Snyder is one of several Michigan officials facing charges related to the Flint water crisis.

Snyder, 62, was arraigned in 67th District Court in Genesee County Thursday on two counts of willful neglect of duty, misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

"Government power is not granted as a blank check. It is borrowed by those who swear an oath to faithfully discharge their duties in service of the people," Fadwa Hammoud, one of two prosecutors appointed to handle criminal investigations stemming from the Flint water crisis, said in a Thursday news conference. "When an entire city is victimized by the negligence and indifference of those in power, it deserves an uncompromising investigation that holds to account anyone who is criminally culpable."

Eight other people were charged Thursday, all of whom were indicted through a grand jury, which prosecutors said was the most expeditious way to move forward with the case. Every person charged Thursday turned themselves in, prosecutors said.

Nick Lyon, former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director

Lyon, 52, was charged with nine counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of willful neglect of duty. If convicted, Lyon could serve up to 15 years in prison and a $7,500 fine. Lyon's attorney entered not guilty pleas on all counts. Bail for Lyon was set at $200,000.

Hammoud said Lyon's charges are derived from his "failures and grossly negligent performance of his legal duties while director of MDHHS to protect the health of the citizens of Michigan."

Eden Wells, former chief medical executive for Michigan

Wells faces nine counts of involuntary manslaughter. She was also charged with one count of willful neglect of duty and two counts of misconduct in office.

The two misconduct charges against Wells stem from four to seven incidents in which she attempted to prevent the distribution of public health information about Legionnaires' disease in Genesee County, according to prosecutors.

Nancy Peeler, former state Health Department employee

Peeler was charged with two counts of misconduct in office — each a felony with a penalty of up to five years in prison — and one count of willful neglect of duty. Prosecutors accused Peeler of misrepresenting data related to elevated red blood lead levels in Flint children and failing to act on that data.

Gerald Ambrose, former Flint emergency manager

Ambrose was charged with four felony counts of misconduct in office that prosecutors said was related to the city of Flint's finances and its water supply source.

Darnell Earley, former Flint emergency manager

Earley was charged with two felony counts of misconduct in office. The charges carry penalties of up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. Prosecutors said the charges related to the city of Flint's finances and its water supply source.

Howard Croft, former Flint Department of Public Works director

Croft was charged with two counts each of willful neglect of duty for failing to ensure the Flint water supply was safe, prosecutors said.

Jarrod Agen, former chief of staff for Gov. Snyder

Agen, who was also a former communications director for Vice President Mike Pence, was charged with perjury — a felony with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Richard Baird, top aide to Gov. Snyder

Baird faces four felony charges, including perjury during an investigation, misconduct in office, obstruction of justice and extortion. The most severe of the charges, extortion, carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence if Baird is convicted.

Prosecutors said Baird improperly used state resources and personnel and gave false statements under oath. They also accused him of threatening a state-appointed research team during its investigation into the source of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Genesee County.

Related: Former MI Gov. Rick Snyder Charged In Flint Water Crisis: Report

Snyder, a Republican who has been out of office for two years, was governor when Flint switched its water source from the city of Detroit to the Flint River to save money in 2014, while under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager, The Associated Press reported. State environmental regulators advised Flint not to apply corrosion controls to the water, which was contaminated by lead from aging pipes.

Residents quickly began complaining that the water was discolored and had a bad taste and smell. They blamed it for rashes, hair loss and other health concerns. But local and state officials insisted it was safe, the AP reported.

Researchers with Virginia Tech University reported in summer 2015 that samples of Flint water had abnormally high lead levels. Shortly afterward, a group of doctors announced that local children had high levels of lead in their blood and urged Flint to stop using water from the river.

Snyder eventually acknowledged the problem, accepted the resignation of his environmental chief and pledged to aid the city, which resumed using Detroit water.

Researchers said in late 2016 that lead was no longer detectable in many homes. But residents used bottled water for drinking and household needs for more than a year, and residents still have trust issues about the water provided to them.

Several people arraigned Thursday had previously faced charges in connection with the Flint water crisis under Bill Schuette when he was Michigan's attorney general. When Dana Nessel took office in 2019, she dismissed those charges, announcing that she wanted to restart the Flint probe.

While Nessel handled more than 100 civil lawsuits stemming from the Flint water crisis, she tapped Hammoud and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy to handle the criminal investigations.

Snyder, Baird and Agen were not charged in the prior investigation.

Information and reporting from The Associated Press were used in this report.