Associate Judge Jerry E. Crisel of the Second Judicial Circuit has been assigned to preside over the Madison County case involving search warrants that prompted raids of several offices in the Administration Building by a public corruption task force.
According to a Feb. 28 administrative order, Madison County Chief Judge David Hylla requested a judge from another circuit be assigned to the case. The Illinois Supreme Court agreed, determining that the public necessity so requires an outside judge preside over the case.
The order was filed by Chief Judge Thomas J. Tedeschi of the Second Circuit.
The Second Circuit includes Crawford County, Edwards County, Franklin County, Gallatin County, Hamilton County, Hardin County, Jefferson County, Lawrence County, Richland County, Wabash County, Wayne County and White County.
According to the Illinois State Bar Association website, Crisel was appointed associate judge in October 2013 in Jefferson County. He was reappointed in 2015.
The offices of county administrator Doug Hulme, IT director Rob Dorman and communications manager Cynthia Ellis were searched in the mid-day raid on Jan. 10.
According to a press release issued by Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons after the raid, his office said it had received evidence of possible illegal conduct by unnamed county officials in the later months of 2017.
Gibbons called for the formation of the special investigative taskforce based on information provided through several sources and individuals. The task force is comprised of members of multiple state and local law enforcement agencies and has been formed to “investigate the allegations and determine the extent of any wrongdoing,” the state’s attorney’s release states.
Since the raid nearly two months ago, Gibbons has not made any public comments.