Muncie’s longtime building commissioner Craig Nichols has agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court, where he faced 34 criminal charges including money laundering, wire fraud and theft of government funds. The Star Press reports that the U.S. Attorney’s office in Indianapolis on Thursday filed a “Petition to enter plea of guilty and plea agreement” in U.S. District Court. Nichols agreed to plead guilty to just two counts – wire fraud & money laundering. The remaining 32 charges are to be dismissed. Nichols faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the two counts. Nichols was appointed city building commissioner in 2012. Nichols resigned as building commissioner just hours before his guilty plea was filed.
