Former Bethalto Fire Chief Mersinger faces counts of Official Misconduct, Health Care Benefits Fraud

BETHALTO - On June 2, 2016, a Madison County Grand Jury indicted former Fire Chief, Zoning Administrator and Code Enforcement Officer, Richard Mersinger on four  counts of Official Misconduct and one count of Health Care Benefits Fraud. Bond was set at $15,000.

Mersinger was taken into custody in the morning of June 6 by Bethalto Police and subsequently released on bond.

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In October 2015 the Bethalto Police Department initiated an investigation of Mersinger, age 39. Mersinger tendered his resignation of his Official Appointments at the October 2015 Bethalto Village Board Meeting.

The Village discovered discrepancies involving Occupancy Permit Inspections. During the investigation it was discovered that there were at least 140 suspected fraudulent Inspections, four of which were documented on non-existing addresses. As Code Enforcement Officer, Mersinger was responsible for these inspections.

The investigation also found that Mersinger was granted a divorce by Madison County Court in 2011. Bethalto Police allege that Mersinger fraudulently continued to receive for his former spouse, four years of health care benefits provided by the Village of Bethalto in excess of $20,000.

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