Philpot surrenders to Michigan federal prison facility

CROWN POINT | Former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot surrendered Tuesday at a federal prison in Michigan to begin serving an 18-month sentence imposed by the court last month.

Philpot asks to remain free on bond during appeal process

HAMMOND | Former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot has asked to stay out of jail pending the appeal of his conviction for stealing more than $24,000 in bonuses from public child support incentive funds.

Will Philpot's fate keep other pols on the straight and narrow?

CROWN POINT | An advocate for ethics training for local government employees said it will take more than the downfall of former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot to scare other potentially corrupt public officials straight.

New coroner achieves professional certification

CROWN POINT | Lake County Coroner Merrilee D. Frey announced Friday she has been certified by the state as a medical death investigator.

Philpot seeks acquittal or new trial for federal convictions

HAMMOND | Embattled former Lake County official Tom Philpot is requesting his convictions be overturned on the grounds he didn't have a fair trial, federal court records show.

Newest Lake County coroner hires experienced staff

CROWN POINT | Lake County's newest coroner unveiled an administrative staff Monday with name recognition and experience.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Lake County GOP offers chance for clean government

In the last 25 years there have been more than 50 Democrats in Lake County who have been convicted of political corruption.

Caucus to replace disgraced Lake County coroner set for Sept. 15

HAMMOND | Lake County's Democratic precinct committeemen are being called to gather at 10 a.m. Sept. 15 to name the next county coroner.

EDITORIAL: Philpot provides incentive for ethics training

Yet another politician has been removed from office because of public corruption. Former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot was convicted on five counts of theft and fraud charges.

Veteran investigator temporarily takes over vacant Lake coroner office

CROWN POINT | PJ Adams, a veteran law enforcement official, is serving as Lake county's interim county coroner in the wake of former Coroner Thomas Philpot's weekend conviction.

Frey ready to step in as next Lake County coroner

HAMMOND | Merrilee Frey said Friday she is prepared to step forward as the next Lake County coroner in the wake of Thomas Philpot's conviction of theft of federal funds.

Philpot guilty on all five counts

HAMMOND | A U.S. District Court jury convicted Lake County Coroner and former county Clerk Thomas Philpot on Friday on five counts of theft and fraud charges.

Philpot case goes to the federal jury

HAMMOND | A U.S. District Court jury began deliberations shortly before noon Friday in the fraud and theft trial of former Lake County Clerk Thomas Philpot.

County-hired lawyer grilled about advice given to Philpot

HAMMOND | An attorney hired to advise the clerk's office during Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot's term testified for about three hours Thursday during Philpot's theft and fraud trial.

Day three of Philpot trial: Attorney advised Philpot OK to take payments

HAMMOND | Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot received a letter telling him he did not need County Council approval to receive incentive payments from a child support incentive fund, according to evidence introduced on the third day of his fraud and theft trial.

Workers' testimony conflicts in Philpot trial

HAMMOND | A state representative and former clerk employee gave conflicting testimony Tuesday as to how controversial incentive payments came to be during the Lake County coroner's tenure as clerk.

Lake County coroner's fraud trial kicks off in federal court

HAMMOND | The federal corruption trial of Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot kicked off Monday to determine whether he knew taking incentive payments as an elected official was wrong.

Spotlight switches from Philpot to jury selection

HAMMOND | Lawyers in the federal fraud trial of Thomas Philpot begin the job today of finding a jury that is impartial, if not unfamiliar, with a man who has spent two decades in the public eye.

State legislator could be witness in Philpot trial

HAMMOND | A Lake County state legislator and a former deputy county clerk could provide crucial evidence on how determined County Coroner Thomas Philpot was in grasping federal money.

Philpot trial to begin Monday

HAMMOND | A U.S. District Court judge cleared the way for the fraud trial of Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot to begin Monday.

Defense trying to get Philpot fraud charges dropped before trial

CROWN POINT | A defense lawyer is seeking to have fraud charges dismissed against Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot on the eve of his federal trial.

Feds request Lake payroll records in advance of Philpot trial

CROWN POINT | Federal authorities visited the Lake County Government Complex on Tuesday morning to ask for years of employee payroll records during the administration of former county Clerk Thomas Philpot.

August is high-anxiety month for Lake County government

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Government Center could be an uneasy workplace for those employees traveling to U.S. District Court in Hammond in the coming days to give evidence about their fellow employees in open court or in the grand jury room.