According to a report in the Evansville Courier and Press, Marlin Weisheit, Health Department Administrator of Warrick County, has been arrested and charged with official misconduct, a Level 6 felony, along with two misdemeanor counts of conversion.
The arrest follows an investigation by the Indiana State Police (ISP), culminating in a detailed statement released late Friday afternoon.
Weisheit, 72, a resident of Boonville, has a notable history in public service, having previously served as a Warrick County commissioner and as the police chief of Chandler. His wife, Shannon Weisheit, is a former Warrick County clerk.
The ISP statement provides a timeline of events leading to Weisheit’s arrest. On December 26, 2023, Warrick County Commissioners announced Weisheit as the interim administrator for the county’s Health Department.
However, a contract signed four days earlier between the commissioners and Weisheit identified him as an independent contractor, explicitly stating he was not a county representative or employee. This arrangement, as outlined by state law, should have seen the health officer responsible for appointing the department’s administrator.
The situation became more complex on April 16, 2024, when the Health Department agreed to hire Weisheit, a move later ratified by the county commissioners. Weisheit officially began his role as a county employee on April 23.
Detective Sergeant Brock Werne of the ISP highlighted discrepancies in Weisheit’s employment claims. Between January 2 and February 29, 2024, Weisheit reportedly received $9,600 for hours worked, paid from Health Department funds without the health administrator’s knowledge or approval.
Further allegations state that between April 26 and May 2, Weisheit used the health administrator’s stamp without authorization to reallocate department funds, ensuring payments were made to Liberty Concepts, INC in Boonville.
These payments were contentious, as the health administrator had refused to authorize them, given that the contract with Liberty Concepts was held by the county commissioners, not the Health Department.
The charges against Weisheit underscore the ongoing scrutiny and legal challenges faced by officials within Warrick County. The investigation is continuing, with state police urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
This arrest marks another significant development in the ongoing examination of official conduct within Warrick County’s administrative circles.
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