Democrat Indiana Mayor Arrested by FBI in Alleged Corruption Probe
The Democrat mayor of Muncie, Indiana, was arrested on Monday morning by the FBI in connection with multiple corruption charges. “I can confirm an arrest warrant was executed at the home of Mayor Dennis Tyler this morning, and he is currently in custody,” Christine Bavender, a spokesperson for the FBI, told the Muncie Star Press. It is not immediately clear what charges Tyler is facing.
Tyler has served as Muncie’s mayor since 2012, WISH reported. The Democrat mayor did not run for re-election this year and his term in office ends on December 31. FBI agents have conducted an investigation into allegations of corruption in the Tyler administration and those in Tyler’s orbit for nearly four years. The FBI investigation began in early 2016 when the agency brought forth allegations against Craig Nichols, the city’s building commissioner. Last January, a judge sentenced Nichols to two years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. In 2017, the FBI also conducted a search of city offices. When city officials asked about the FBI search, they refused to answer any questions relating to it. Authorities also arrested Muncie Sanitary District Administrator Debra Grigsby for allegedly steering contracts in exchange for kickback payments this past July.
