Mental health facility administrators charged with misconduct

A grand jury in Union County has issued felony indictments against three administrators at the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Development Center in Anna, Illinois, in connection with a probe into alleged patient abuse there.

According to Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp, indictments were served Monday on Teresa A. Smith, Bryant T. Davis and Gary K. Goins in connection with their work at the state-run mental health facility.

Davis and Goins are each charged with one count of official misconduct, a Class 3 felony, Smith was also charged with one count of official misconduct as well as one count of obstruction of justice, a Class 4 felony.

All three are accused of violating Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) investigative protocol in connection with an investigation by Illinois State Police into a report of a staff member who allegedly battered an individual being served at the facility. Felony charges are also pending against that staff member as well, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Union County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Smith is also accused of making false statements to Illinois State Police investigators regarding her access and review of investigative files at the mental health center.

Davis, Smith and Goins are scheduled to make their first court appearances at the Union County Courthouse in Jonesboro, Illinois, on July 19.

Several current and former Choate employees were arrested in 2020 in connection with alleged patient abuses dating back to 2018.

If convicted, those accused of Class 3 felonies would be subject to sentences of two to five years while the Class 4 felony charge carries a possible sentence of one to three years.