Christopher Anderson

Former Republican Elkhart County Clerk Christopher Anderson on Thursday pleaded guilty to the lesser-included misdemeanor charge of conversion, after a grand jury indicted him and Chief Deputy Clerk Carol Smith on felony official misconduct charges.

Following a grand jury indictment, Elkhart County prosecutors charged County Clerk Christopher Anderson and his chief deputy, Carol Smith, with felony official misconduct. Prosecutors says he paid her for 80 hours of work every two weeks when she only worked 72.

Elkhart County Sheriff Jeff Siegel confirmed he's rehired James Bradberry Sr. as an unsworn courthouse security officer because he believes in restorative justice. Bradberry is a former captain who quit when he was convicted of false informing in 2019 but he had his conviction expunged earlier this year by Judge David Bonfiglio.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker convened a grand jury that returned indictments Tuesday against elected County Clerk Christopher J. Anderson and his chief deputy, Carol Smith on official misconduct and conversion charges. They're accused of knowingly paying supervisors for hours they did not work.

NEW:The seat for an Indiana House Representative in South Bend is up for grabs for the first time in 50 years after Democrat B. Patrick Bauer announced he…