Two Starke County public officials were arrested Thursday after a nine-month investigation by Indiana State Police and the Indiana State Board of Accounts, according to an Indiana State Police news release.
The news release said Starke County Highway Department Superintendent John Norris, 51, of Koontz Lake, has been charged with official misconduct and theft, and Starke County Commissioner Mark Milo, 54, of Knox City, with two counts each of official misconduct and conflict of interest. All are Class D felonies.
Both men were booked into Pulaski County Jail, with bond set at $5,000
Conflict of Interest is defined in other posts.. and I added posts from WSBT's website.. Perhaps there will be more to come!
12:05 AM Just Me wrote ...
Steve, Pulaski because Milo is an elected official and it would probably be unethical if not a legal violation for Judge Hall to handle the case. The conflict of interest charge could be something like a company getting paid to do work for the hwy dept when the company's owner is an elected official. And no Cornfusion, not all of us are sitting in jail.
11:59 PM Bill wrote ...
It's just like Grandpa said: Everything comes full circle...when one guy snatches your car off the side of the road and you call the courthouse and they tell you to go see an officials brother and pay a hefty fee to get your property back, hmmmm I love to watch the "Dukes of Hazzard", but living it is another story...."Honesty is the best policy, and no one is above the law,even the law"
11:29 PM Christine wrote ...
Will a murder charge be next?
11:26 PM Anonymous wrote ...
Neither of these men live in Knox and Im certain the county you live in has an empty jail since you're so eager to pass judgement.
11:20 PM steve wrote ...
why pulaski? why don't the police reveal everything or nothing. what does misconduct and conflict mean? I see theft that easy to know what that means. Is that all the new rerlease said WSBT TV
11:15 PM Cornfusion wrote ...
"KNOX KNOX!" "WHO'S THERE?" "NOBODY! WERE ALL SITTING IN A JAIL CELL!"
The news release said Starke County Highway Department Superintendent John Norris, 51, of Koontz Lake, has been charged with official misconduct and theft, and Starke County Commissioner Mark Milo, 54, of Knox City, with two counts each of official misconduct and conflict of interest. All are Class D felonies.
Both men were booked into Pulaski County Jail, with bond set at $5,000
Conflict of Interest is defined in other posts.. and I added posts from WSBT's website.. Perhaps there will be more to come!
12:05 AM Just Me wrote ...
Steve, Pulaski because Milo is an elected official and it would probably be unethical if not a legal violation for Judge Hall to handle the case. The conflict of interest charge could be something like a company getting paid to do work for the hwy dept when the company's owner is an elected official. And no Cornfusion, not all of us are sitting in jail.
11:59 PM Bill wrote ...
It's just like Grandpa said: Everything comes full circle...when one guy snatches your car off the side of the road and you call the courthouse and they tell you to go see an officials brother and pay a hefty fee to get your property back, hmmmm I love to watch the "Dukes of Hazzard", but living it is another story...."Honesty is the best policy, and no one is above the law,even the law"
11:29 PM Christine wrote ...
Will a murder charge be next?
11:26 PM Anonymous wrote ...
Neither of these men live in Knox and Im certain the county you live in has an empty jail since you're so eager to pass judgement.
11:20 PM steve wrote ...
why pulaski? why don't the police reveal everything or nothing. what does misconduct and conflict mean? I see theft that easy to know what that means. Is that all the new rerlease said WSBT TV
11:15 PM Cornfusion wrote ...
"KNOX KNOX!" "WHO'S THERE?" "NOBODY! WERE ALL SITTING IN A JAIL CELL!"
67 comments:
Nice! Hope to see more arrested. It doesnt take a genius to see and figure it out!
Where there is smoke..There is fire! Can we expect more arrests?
Funny, its folks like these that think its funny to have conflicts of interest and nepotism. Funny, the elected official is a Democrat. Things will never change in starke county will they?
Heres what I want to Know! If Milo was acting improperly by spending county money on stone from his business.. How come Kevin, Kent, and the Auditor not be in the same trouble? Dont they have to approve claims? Wouldnt this come out a long time ago? Would or could any of the other officials blow the whistle on this to stop it?
Don't go jumping to conclusions. Who in the news has said anything about stone??? Is there something you know the rest of us haven't heard. Then again, maybe the ISP have more information they haven't release (of course). Then again, this is not finished. I bet there will be more to come later. To bad two guys had to kill themselves over this. It's going to be an interesting winter.
WKVI at 5pm talked about the Milo and the Stone!
Most of the city and county so called "leaders" are all buddies and try to cover with eachother. Why do some people stuggle to stay in business but the county elected officials agree to budget cuts but give themselves a raise? How does an attorney commit fraud but we trust him to be in charge of money as the tourism director? Why are all the cops on their cell everytime I pass them? Why at 3am was a cop sleeping in his car down a back road by hwy 23? Why are married cops meeting girls at a cemetary around the same time? Why do the same contractors get the good paying jobs with the county (it is hard to believe someone gets like $90,000 for cleaning out a ditch)? Why does the Sheriff "drop charges" on people who get arrested after someone from their family has a talk with him... I'm sure money or his re-election had nothing to do with it, right? How come that same Sheriff used to be a pall bearer for money at funerals on county time and his good friend who is Council pres. owns the funeral home? Why did he also get mad when one of his friends were arrested for cocaine, while he was a detective, and he was not told about the investigation? We need to know where all of the taxpayers money goes and we also should go over to the city or county building and look at all of the people sitting around playing on the internet or sitting at the coffee shop for 3-4 hours a day. There are a lot of things that need to change. I am sick and tired of some of these people taking advantage of our money while our property taxes have doubled in the last few years.
anonymous,
I agree with you about the sitting on the internet and coffee shops too. The fact is that these bums keep getting elected. Look at what other elected people are sayin
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Council member Chuck Estok is shocked by Milo's arrest.
"I've known Mark all my life,” he told WSBT News. “I've done business with Mark Milo. I consider him a good friend."
doesnt that tell you a lot of what the bigger picture is?
LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW! Who is left to plow the county roads now? Kevin is in charge of the Highway Department and most of the remaining employees are some how related to him. If they were all 3 doing their jobs, would any of this have happened? Didn't they all take an oath to serve the citizens of Starke County?
Wow all you Anonymous's have all the answers. Why don't you get involved and fix it. Do you all have felonies and can not seat on an elected post. Hey also is Ricky's wife next, the rumor mill has 2 good one's.
1. ISP is close to closing in on the Mayoral election fraud.
2. The letters sent to the Estok's and others, was there some prints lifted ?
Knox Anonymous I don't have these answers but I do seat and listen in the coffee house alot and hear all sorts of rumors, are the 2 above coming ?
I am not sure if I understood anything you wrote ...sorry! Next time I am in English class I will make sure to "seat" in on the class and try to learn how to write. Sounds like you sit at the coffee house too much and need to get a life.
Are you an english teacher? Sounds like you spend time in the coffee shop trying to eaves drop.
Its nice to see everyone pop out of the wood work. talking about knowing a lot of the wrongdoings at the highway garage and the county. Just remember, when you say you know or witness something and then you take 7 months to say something about it, it makes you just as guilty as the person who did it. I just hope that you can feel from within that two people are dead because of this.
I heard that Milo's "good friend" and councilman Chuck Estok is being looked at by the Indiana State Police. Seems he wanted his share too.
Too Bad Indiana doesnt have recall elections!
Maybe voters should pay a little more attention to who they vote for in the first place!
About the stone . . you can go to the County Website at http://co.starke.in.us and click on Commissioners to look at the minutes of meetings. On September 15th, Kent made a motion to purchase the stone from Mark Milo, seconded by Kevin and Mark abstained. Why does that make Mark the one with conflict of interest?
Heres an easy fix for the highway garage. Privatize it like Mitch Daniels did the toll road. Just like Mitch said in his campaign" Give the money back to the taxpayers so it doesnt burn a hole in some politicians pocket"
The Highway garage has and always been an area of controversy. If it is privatized you will obviously see less staff, more effort to combind resources with cities and towns, you wont see anymore 600 hours of comp-time, frivilous lawsuits, you wont see it as a hiring hall, The commissioners will have more control because they would be paying for a service rather than managing their family, friends, or political faction. A for profit company managing that service will not buy an over priced back hoe. They will not have the mismanagement of 600 hours of comptime, nor misuse of county vehicles that has gone on in the past, and No Stealing!. The best staff currently working will get nice increases in salaries while the ones who do not carry their weight will get sent packing. For those saying this will never work, look at it like this. Would you pay for a service that you were not happy with. ( No, you wouldnt!!) you would make sure it was done to your satisfaction and priced accordingly. The issues there have gone on long enough. This process would guarantee transparency in starke county
Sorry folks, I enjoy letting you know that you will be 6 feet under
(for all you lam brains the meaning is that if it didn’t happen you can wait forever and still have no news) and still be waiting on that State Police action.
Sorry folks, I enjoy letting you know that you will be 6 feet under (for all you lam brains the meaning is that if it didn’t happen you can wait forever and still have no news) and still be waiting on that State Police action.
Chuck's last comment makes no sense at all and it is the same as the previous one from anonymous.
Care to explain that comment in something one might understand?
I guess Chuck is frustrated that the Estoks got beat at their own game of sidelining an election. Still Chasing after the validity of votes coming in from ober and walkerton. If they even excluded those votes... Chambers will still be the winner.
To anonymous Too bad you aren't smart enough to understand what Chuck mean't.So you are saying it is alright to solicit illegal votes to win an election. Even go to another town. they also committed forgery.IF You have to win that way then you need to be punished also for your crime. I do believe the isp have been investigating the fraud. Why i don;t know because it is all on paper.
Read the comment from, December 9, 2008 7:13 PM.
If you are wondering why my comment is the same as the one from annonymous, when I sent it, this blog cut out my name and unlike all the Spineless" annonymous commenters I do sign.
Walkerton,Ober,250 s.,forgery,there are many more as a voter and a taxpayer I think it is sad to commint these crimes to get elected to office and what is really sad, 1 illegal vote in a election is one to many.Dont try to blow smoke and say it is okay.As a taxpayer I do not like my tax dollors going to a Mayor like this, if he does this to win a election what else will he do? Lets not cover this up citizens of Knox, wake up!
I think it is time that justice is served. I think Norris should be suspended and milo should also be suspended until this is all done. I think Chambers and his wife should be arrested and he should be suspended until he and she are tried. why should the taxpayers have to keep paying these people until proven innoncent.
Someone wrote up a little higher how they don't believe Milo has the major concern since one of the other commissioners motioned to "purchase" the items from Milo. How would they have known about his items? He would've had to of solicitated them somehow for sale to the county for them to want to purchase them? Sometimes people are just so biased that they can't see straight. In order for a deal to go through, there has to be a buyer and a seller... In comes the charge to Milo--- DUH!
Did any of you people vote for any of the officials that are now being referred to as bums?
Every vote counts!
FWIW, I didn't vote for any of the officials in trouble and yes, every vote DOES count. In fact, things may have been different if more people DID go vote instead of believing their one vote won't matter.
It's 12/23, they had court today.... does anyone know what happened? Anyone attend the hearing?
All charges have been dropped
All the charges werent dropped!
sorry above anny. listen to the news, they were all dropped. goo hoo for you and all you fools here
what happened?
John Norris is walking piece of garbage and belongs BACK in jail!
John Norris is out of jail and selling drugs again. Please us extreme caution as Norris is harden criminal and dangerous.
I saw John Norris over by the school selling drugs the other day. He was pushing is TABS and MARIJUANA to some young girls
Norris is on the loose and moved to the harder stuff like Heroin and Cocaine.
John Norris is nothing but a harden criminal on the loose
John Norris has been selling drugs again and threatening people with harm.
John Norris has been selling drugs again!! I do not know how he gets away with all the drug dealing.
John Norris was selling heroin and TABS right out in the open. The police do nothing. Everyone please contact the state attorneys office to get this garbage back behind bars. John Norris is a danger to the entire community
John Norris was right outside the local school selling drugs. Paul Krazyk of Munster Indiana was their buying drugs from him and high as kite. I checked his license plate. Both these men are harden criminals and drug dealers.
Norris was in Konomo selling heroin this weekend!
Norris was out with more heroin this weekend. He is armed and dangerous!
Norris was HIGHER than a kite this weekend selling more drugs.
Norris was dealing heroin and cocaine at the has station this week.
Norris was running around town selling drugs this weekend. He is armed and dangerous
I seen him to just selling drugs in the open. I think the police are in on it with him for the money....Norris is a hardened CONVICT out of the penitentiary...use extreme caution
Norris is all geared up for the weekend. Seen him out this afternoon selling drugs to under age girls.
John Norris was selling cocaine all week. He was driving around HIGH and heavily ARMED!!
I seen Norris selling drugs right out in the open this weekend! He was armed as usual everyone is scared to put this felon back behind bars. He is a menace to the community and extremely dangerous. I put a call into his PAROLE OFFICER please call in as well about Norris.
Norris and two other suspects all heavily armed were selling drugs this weekend. Be careful Norris is armed and dangerous and running a GANG now!
Norris was out dealing drugs all weekend AGAIN. He is heavily armed and extremey dangerous. Report his activities to the local district attorney.
Norris just rolled in house from a 3 day crack binder! He sold drugs all over several counties all weekend. Please report Norris to your local District Attorey's Office. He belongs back in jail!
I seen Norris to he was doped up threatening people, selling drugs. He was heavily armed and is extremely dagerous. Keep your kids at home if Norris out dealing drugs!
Norris is gearing up for a holiday weekend of selling drugs. Report his activties to the state attorney's office.Keep your kids home safe!
Norris was all Drunk & High again brandishing a firearm right thru downtown this week. I am going to make an example this next election and get a NEW prosecutor in office to get this hardened criminal back behind bars. He is back selling drugs, firearms, threatening people. Report his movements to your local sheriff's office.
Norris should be back bars where belongs so were much safer. He threatened my grandmother the other day in the Grocery store. Not bad enough all the drugs and guns now he is threatening old women. What is next for the dirt bag Norris!!
Norris was showing off his GUN's and all the drugs in the truck he had down at the filling station this weekend! When is this hardened criminal going back to jail. Keep you kids in the house until Norris is back behind bars!
John Norris was juiced up today. Fully armed and his truck loaded with drugs. Use extreme caution if coming into contact with Norris. He needs to be sent back to the big house. Keep your children safe from this harden criminal. He is heavily armed and dangerous!
Norris was all DRUNK & HIGH driving thru downtown this weekend!! Norris is planning a holiday weekend of selling drugs and violent activities. Keeps your kids in this holidays. Norris is on the loose!! Call the state attorney's office today...Norris should be back behind bars!!
Norris was riding uptown with a load of fire arm's, crack cocaine, TABS, and some marijuana. He was threatening everyone he came into contact with deadly harm...This man is armed and dangerous...use extreme caution...call your local law enforcement and REPORT Norris's activities...Everyone in the local community is working hard to get the convict back behind bars. Keep you children in house!
Norris is on the loose again spreading COVID everywhere he is selling drug and all over town. This convict is armed and dangerous,
I must ADMIT Norris running around is quite scary. This is a dangerous criminal on the loose who is DRUG dealer.
Norris is still loose, running around dealing drugs. Watch out for this hardened criminal. Lock all your doors and windows. Report all siting to the authorities
Norris is back at the drug dealing. He was downtown selling TABS, Cocaine, and Heroine. If you see tNorris, call the authorities and report his activities. Keep your kids in the house.
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